Official Release: The BMW Group is focused on pressing ahead with its successful electrification strategy. During the next decade, highly dynamic changes are set to take place in the area of electric mobility. However, not all markets and segments will develop at the same pace and the actual outcome depends on a host of factors, including regulatory requirements, which are very difficult to forecast today. Therefore, flexibility and scalability within a strong portfolio of electrified vehicles will ensure the success of the BMW Group. “A successful electrification strategy must be capable of dealing with a range of outcomes, including optimistic or more cautious scenarios. If we manage that, we will be able to reconcile sustainable mobility with sustainable profitability,” Nicolas Peter commented.

Verschiffung BMW i3 in Bremerhaven 11-2015
Verschiffung BMW i3 in Bremerhaven 11-2015

The BMW Group established itself at an early stage as a pioneer of electric mobility when it embarked on project i back in 2007. Alongside its work on the technological spearhead BMW i3, over the past ten years the BMW Group has focused on designing flexible vehicle architectures and developing suitable modules to house the electrified drivetrain. “Thanks to this approach by mid-2017 – less than four years after the launch of the BMW i3 – our range of products will include eight plug-in hybrid models and we will deliver our 200,000th electric vehicle in the course of the year,” Krüger said.

In the meantime, the BMW Group has entered the second decade of its electrification strategy and is raising this exciting, sustainable form of mobility to new levels. The strategy of pursuing project i with its flagship technologies, while at the same time creating flexible vehicle architectures to enable the seamless integration of different drivetrain systems, will therefore be continued. In future, in addition to plug-in hybrid technology all-electric, battery-powered mobility will be incorporated in the BMW Group’s brands, key model series and architectures, in a highly flexible and scalable way. Work involved within the development of the BMW iNEXT will lead to a new generation of electric modules and drivetrain systems entering series production.

Produktion BMW i3 in Leipzig

“The all-electric MINI and the all-electric BMW X3 will mark the beginning of the second wave of electrification for the BMW Group, benefitting from the ongoing technological progress we are making in this area,” Krüger said. “Strategy NUMBER ONE > NEXT sets out our strategic course for further electrification and the direction of project i over the coming decade. We will incorporate all-electric, battery-powered mobility into our core brands, as we have already done successfully with our plug-in hybrid vehicles. By using highly flexible architectures we can avoid duplicate investments in plant and equipment and will be able to adapt our range of electric and conventional vehicles to changing demand both quickly and efficiently.”