Removal ordered of BMW i3 UK ad

BMW has been censured by the United Kingdom’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for claiming an electric car equipped with a small petrol engine was “clean” and “with zero emissions……helps give back to the environment”, in a ruling that could impact other electric car advertising.

The Facebook post advert used testimonials from customers to extol the BMW i3’s virtues, The Guardian reports.

Along with the electric drive, the BMW i3 has a small petrol engine only used to maintain the charge on the electric drive.
In the Facebook ad the car is described as “a clean car and helps to give back to the environment”.

A complainant suggested the petrol engine meant this statement was incorrect.
BMW argues that the nature of the petrol engine, in maintaining charge for the electric engine rather than taking over from it when needed, meant its description – which came from a user – was accurate.

The (ASA) says the petrol engine has an emissions value that can be quantified, and it has ordered the advertisement dropped.
“We told BMW to ensure that in future they made clear their environmental claims related to the all-electric vehicles only and not to make environmental claims about their products unless they held sufficient substantiation,” the ASA says.

The Guardian says BMW did not respond to a request for comment.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders says it does not comment on individual cases, and declines to comment on the broader issues of how “clean” cars can be defined.