2023-09-02 13:54:49
BMW is presenting its vision vehicle with electric drive at the IAA. Instead of the mid-size sedan, the first model at the end of 2025 will be an SUV. CEO Zipse calls the timing “right on the money”.
München.
At the IAA in Munich, the car manufacturer BMW is showing a near-series vision vehicle from its all-electric “New Class” for the first time, which will be launched in 2025.
CEO Oliver Zipse said at the preliminary premiere that the range and charging speed are 30 percent better than those of today’s Stromer. The vehicle architecture is now fully geared to the electric drive, and because the expansion and recycling of all components is already planned during development, the cars are also more environmentally friendly.
As a vision vehicle, BMW did not present an SUV, but a mid-range sedan the size of today’s 3 Series. The first model of the new class will be an SUV from the new BMW plant in Debrecen, Hungary, at the end of 2025. The second model will be launched at the main plant in Munich at almost the same time in early 2026, and then other cars based on this architecture will follow, said Zipse. There is also a smaller BMW.
Timing according to BMW “right on the mark”
BMW wants to sell 15 percent of its cars with electric drives this year, and by 2026 it should be 33 percent. With the new class, the company wants to reduce its costs and make e-cars more profitable. Software kits for drive, chassis, vehicle electrical system and driver assistance contribute to this. This saves wiring harnesses, weight and money.
The point in time 2025 is “right on the money” because the industry is about to take a technological leap, said Zipse. The battery makes a giant leap. And the demand for electric cars will increase significantly in the middle of the decade.
BMW had once used the term New Class for the compact BMW 1500 sedan, which was presented at the IAA in 1961 and saved the company from skidding at the time. The term now stands for the Group’s transition to electromobility, digitization and the circular economy.
BMW wants to determine the purchase price for the cars shortly before the start of series production. “We will not price ourselves out of the market,” said Zipse. There is currently a price war in China in particular, with many new car manufacturers and cheap e-vehicles. In the premium segment, the price pressure is less noticeable, as the rules of the game are different. Tesla is exiting the premium segment and going into the volume segment, Zipse said. BMW, on the other hand, is keeping its prices and its market share. (dpa)
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