While there will be an electric BMW 3 Series based on the Neue Klasse platform in 2025, combustion-engined and hybrid versions with the same look will remain – but they will be built on an updated version of the current mixed-energy rear-wheel-drive platform.
Product boss Bernd Körber said BMW will retain its natively front-wheel-drive and rear-wheel-drive platforms – and all powertrain options – in addition to the Neue Klasse architecture underpinning its new pure-electric cars.
The situation is similar at BMW-owned Mini, where the petrol and electric Cooper models are identically styled, yet one is built in China on a bespoke electric architecture and the other in Oxford on a traditional combustion-engined structure.
This strategy allows BMW to be adaptable to fluctuating global market conditions around the uptake of electric cars. “What plays out at the moment is our own strategy,” said Körber. “For us, it was always clear that development will be very volatile because it’s dependent on regulation and customer needs.
“For the foreseeable future, we’re into a technology-flexible approach, which is why we planned to build all drivetrains on one production line.
“If a market shifts in one direction, we don’t have to close a plant or reduce a shift. We just shift to another drivetrain.”
BMW sales boss Jochen Goller added that “two years ago, estimates on electric cars were too optimistic and now they’re too pessimistic” and the prevailing trend ahead is still “growth coming from electric cars”.
He said: “I think with more models coming with a longer range and a shorter charging time, some of the purchase barriers will be removed.”
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BMW are obviously nervous and who can blame them? The technology they've built their business on is in terminal decline. Global internal combustion engine sales peaked in 2017 and the only direction now is downwards. Let's hope they can pivot to electric fast enough when they need to. One thing is clear, it's going to happen and it's going to happen quicker than most people realise. Thinking of buying a new fossil car? Don't.
Optimism, yes, that, who knows what the economy of the planet will be, maybe we'll be glad we can afford updated old technology,at the moment Ev's aren't selling in vast numbers, wiping ICE and Deisel cars off the roads, why?, because they're too effin dear, most countries round the World are lagging behind in infrastructure through bad government or haven't got the cash to fund it,maybe it's a survival thing?, which car brands could disappear?, who knows, but this is it for now.
They sell better than diesel.
The climate of the planet won't wait for Johnny the Economist to decide EVs are better. It will wipe humans of the planet.
Rome was never going to be built in a day. Besides different markets like America, India etc look like they'll be way behind the legistive cycle in allowing ICE cars.
To be honest if it's a 50 50 split in 10 years time then in Europe then at least you're removed more than half the tail pipe emissions in a little more than 20 years, 10 years later it'll be near enough 100 percent BEV.