Half a million BMW electrified cars delivered

An electromobility milestone has been reached by the BMW Group in delivering half a million electrified cars to customers globally.

Now it aims to double the number by the end of 2021.

BMW Group market Germany senior vice president Sebastian Mackensen handed over the keys to the 500,000th electrified BMW, a 330e, to new owner Florian Merk at BMW Welt.

“For me, the BMW 330e – the plug-in hybrid 3 Series – combines the best of both worlds,” Merk says.

“For the most part, I can drive emission-free – especially in the city – but, on longer trips, I still have the flexible range of a combustion engine.”.

BMW AG management board chairman Oliver Zipse says BMW is now stepping up the pace, aiming to have a million electrified vehicles on roads within two years.

“This is our contribution towards effective climate protection,” he says.

Next year, the BMW X3 will become the first BMW Group vehicle available with four different drive train variants – efficient diesel, petrol, plug-in hybrid and pure electric.

The biggest market for the pure electric BMW iX3 is China, where it will also be produced for the global market, BMW says.

The BMW iNext, also available from 2021, will combine electromobility with highly automated driving.

This will be followed in 2021 by the BMW i4, a pure electric Gran Coupé in the premium mid-size segment.

Launched in 2013, the BMW i3 will continue to be developed, production likely to be extended until 2024.

Since late this year, the Mini Electric has been added with more than 90,000 registered prospects.

The group has 12 electrified vehicles and expects a quarter of all vehicles sold in Europe should be electrified by 2021, reaching a third by 2025 and half in 2030.

“We already offer an electrified drive train variant for most of our model line-up – from Mini to the BMW 7 Series,” BMW AG management board member Pieter Nota says.

“Our customers get to choose: Not just their preferred model, but also the drive train that suits them best.”