BMW Group NZ closes in on target

This story first appeared in the July issue of evtalk – CLICK HERE to download the magazine FREE

Electrified vehicles comprise just under 20% of the BMW Group New Zealand fleet, with its 30% target expected to be hit soon.

The number fluctuates due to changing factors within the business.

“For example, we don’t necessarily operate specific vehicle types for specific purposes, and the fleet changes as models enter and leave the market,” a spokesperson says.

“We are fully committed to, and on-track to achieving at least 30% of the company fleet being electrified vehicles.”

To accommodate EVs, head office charging consists of four separate chargers, (three AC, one DC) with two of these AC chargers being dual use.

These are available for all staff to use, in combination with home charging options.

The BMW Group offers a comprehensive range of electrified vehicles already, with many more due to arrive on the market in coming years.

The BMW i3 and Mini Cooper S E Countryman All4 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) are the most common sight in its fleet.

But this is likely to evolve as models such as the BMW 330e Sedan and BMW X5 xDrive45e arrive in the market during 2019.

Globally, the BMW Group will offer at least 25 electrified models by 2025, with about half of these fully electric.

“In 2019 alone we will see the new BMW 330e Sedan, BMW 745e Sedan, BMW X5 xDrive45e all launch in market, along with the Mini Electric Hatch before the end of the year,” the spokesperson says.

“Coming in 2020 is both a BMW X3 plug-in hybrid and fully-electric iX3.
In 2021 the iNext and i4 will both launch, and both are fully-electric.
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Due to product lifecycles, BMW Group NZ says it hasn’t had the variety of product it would ideally like.

“However, this is changing with updated and ‘first-ever’ models coming to market in the near future.

But locally the BMW Group has committed to introducing all electrified products as they become available to us.
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All stakeholders have embraced the change and availability of electrified vehicles, the company says.

“Everyone is very impressed by the smoothness and effortless power delivery an EV provides.

“A big part of introducing the cars has been to ‘normalise’ these into the existing company fleet, so aside from a short education on charging, the usage experience of electrified vehicles has been seamless for everyone involved.”

Use of the company fleet is quite varied.

It includes company vehicles for staff, press vehicles and demonstrators.

As such, the proportion of electrified vehicles on the fleet fluctuates due to product entering and leaving the market, and the varying requirements associated with a changing product range.

“Overall the electrification of our company fleet has been incredibly well-received by the business,” the spokesperson says.

“As a market leader in the supply of electrified vehicles, we support and welcome national business objectives to both increase the EV fleet in New Zealand and the ensuing positive environmental effects.”