The iX and i4 aren’t the only all-electric BMW models coming. At its 2021 Media Day Conference, the German brand has announced the full extent of its electrification offensive. By 2023, BMW plans to have an EV for 90 percent of the segment that it competes in. “We are consciously adopting a broad approach with our all-electric offering rather than staying niche,” said Oliver Zipse, BMW AG’s Chairman of the Board.
Following the iX and i4, BMW plans to release all-electric versions of two of its most popular models: the 5 Series and X1. Soon after, an all-electric 7 Series will join the lineup, likely dubbed the i7. BMW expects sales of EVs to increase to 50 percent and deliver 2 million units by 2025, which is the year it expects to start phase two of its transformation.
Production of engines at BMW’s Munich plant will move to other locations by 2024 since that’s the first to switch to EV production. The first vehicle that will be made there is the i4 starting before the end of 2021. By 2026, current facilities making engines will transition to EVs underpinned by the CLAR platform.
The year 2025 will mark the launch of the Neue Klasse (New Class). This vehicle will get the next generation of electric powertrains and software. Additionally, it will be built with sustainability in mind throughout its life cycle, and get an operating system that can be customized for each region of the world and their respective digital ecosystems. BMW hints that the Neue Klasse will get an aerodynamic design, a spacious interior, and a new battery developed from the ground up with optimized cells to cut manufacturing costs and improve range. On the powertrain front, the Neue Klasse will have a range of variants including high-performance ones for M-badged vehicles and a hydrogen fuel cell application.
When BMW starts the third phase of transformation in 2030, it expects a significant decline in vehicles sold with internal combustion engines. The company expects 50 percent of its sales to be EVs and will have at least one all-electric model in each segment.
