BMW "Launch 13 Pure Electric Vehicle Models by 2023"

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] BMW Group announced that it will launch a total of 13 new pure electric models by 2023.

On the 19th, BMW Group announced its 2020 performance and corporate strategy for the future through a live streaming event at its headquarters in Munich, Germany.

BMW Group plans to release 13 new pure electric vehicle models by 2023. Currently, it sells three pure electric models in the market: BMW i3, iX3, and MINI SE, and plans to launch the BMW iX and i4 within this year.

Along with this, BMW also plans to release pure electric versions of popular models such as the BMW 5 Series, 7 Series, X1, and MINI Countryman within a few years. Based on this strategy, BMW Group aims to offer at least one pure electric model in about 90% of its entire product lineup by 2030. Through this, the sales growth rate of BMW Group's pure electric models is expected to record an average annual growth of over 50% until 2025, with cumulative sales exceeding 2 million units.

Oliver Zipse, Chairman of BMW Group, stated, "BMW Group will recover as quickly as possible to pre-COVID-19 levels while moving further ahead for the future," adding, "We have devised a clear roadmap including electrification, digitalization, and circular economy to ensure BMW gains a strong competitive advantage in the upcoming changes in the automotive industry over the next few years."

BMW Group plans to launch a new product line called ‘Neue Klasse (New Class)’ starting in 2025. Neue Klasse models are expected to incorporate ‘region-specific technologies’ tailored to major global regions and their respective digital ecosystems. They will also offer continuous upgrade capabilities to always stay up to date.

The body will feature proportions distinct from conventional cars and a significantly wider interior space, reflecting aerodynamic designs suited to electric vehicles. The highly scalable modular next-generation powertrain can be applied to all segments, from high-volume standard models to the unique high-performance M models. Furthermore, hydrogen fuel cell-based electric drivetrains will also be introduced.

As for MINI, it will serve as an ideal urban electric mobility brand. BMW Group plans to introduce new MINI internal combustion engine models in early 2025, after which all new models will be offered exclusively as pure electric vehicles. Consequently, it is expected that at least 50% of MINI vehicles sold in 2027 will be pure electric models, and by the early 2030s, the entire lineup will consist solely of pure electric vehicles.

BMW Group will launch the vehicle information processing system ‘BMW Operating System 8’ this year. All BMWs equipped with this latest operating system will provide wireless upgrade capabilities. BMW Operating System 8 will be first installed in the BMW iX this year, along with the 8th generation BMW iDrive system, and will be expanded to various other models in the future.

At this event, BMW Group also unveiled the pure electric model BMW i4 for the first time. The i4 is a 4-door Gran Coupe model that BMW Group describes as combining comfort and sustainable performance.

The i4 will be available with various powertrains, including BMW M Performance models. Among them, the highest-performance model delivers 530 horsepower and accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in about 4 seconds. The model with the longest driving range can travel up to 590 km on a single charge.

Last year, BMW Group’s automotive sales volume was 2,325,179 units, down 8.4% from the previous year, and group revenue decreased by 5% to 98.99 billion euros (approximately 133.47 trillion Korean won).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.