BMW Promises 12 All-Electric Vehicles By 2025

Electrification isn’t a new thing for BMW. It already sells the electric i3 with and without a range extender, as well as plug-in hybrid versions of quite a few vehicles, like the 3 Series and the X5. Heck, you’ve been able to buy a hybrid 7 Series for years now. But the German automaker thinks it’s time to expand its electric lineup even further. So today, it announced plans to add 12 all-electric vehicles to its lineup by 2025.

In a statement, Harald Krüger, BMW’s chairman of the board, said the entire company plans to increase its electrified offerings across the board. That includes both Rolls-Royce and BMW’s M models. By 2025, there will be 25 electrified models for sale, with 12 of them being fully electric. That will include an electric Mini in 2019 and an electric X3 in 2020. Krüger also said that soon, all fully electric BMWs will be sold under the i sub-brand, including the X3.

We already knew an electric M car was on the way, but last we’d heard there wasn’t nearly enough customer interest to justify an electric Rolls-Royce. Apparently, that’s changed. BMW did previously say it expects electric powertrains to account for 20 percent of its sales across the BMW, Mini, and i brands by 2025, however.

Krüger then confirmed that BMW will unveil a new iNext concept that’s slated for production in 2021. He called the iNext “a vision of how we imagine a four-door, fully-electric vehicle between the i3 and i8.” In a separate statement, Klaus Fröhlich, BMW’s head of development, said the iNext will get the company’s Gen 5 electric powertrain.

Considering that BMW showed off an iNext concept last year, we imagine the one BMW will reveal at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show will be closer to production-ready. We’ve heard rumors it will be a 3 Series-sized four-door with a sportier roofline, potentially using carbon fiber construction that’s trickled down from the i8. Expect it to also have the necessary equipment to make it capable of Level 5 autonomy if that’s ever allowed.

Look for more information when BMW holds its Frankfurt press conference after the auto show starts September 12.

Source: BMW

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