A roadmap for an electrifying future

At the BMW Group, we’re proud to be an electric pioneer. In 1972 we presented our first battery electric vehicle, the BMW 1602e. Silent and clean, it drove ahead of some of the 1972 Olympic Games’ marathon runners. In 2013, we went all in with the revolutionary BMW i3. This small city car with a high-tech carbon passenger compartment was built in Leipzig – a plant which fittingly generates its own green power using on-site wind turbines.  

Since then, our electric range has expanded massively. Not only do we offer a plug-in hybrid option in most of our car lines. In addition to the MINI Cooper SE and the  BMW iX3, we’ve just launched the BMW i4 and BMW iX, delivering the same sheer driving pleasure that’s our hallmark. In just over a year, by 2023, we’ll have a battery electric vehicle in each of our segments. By 2030, half of all BMW cars will be electric, and MINI will be entirely electrified. Zero emissions mobility with no compromise.  

We won’t stop there. We’ve also just launched our electric scooter, the BMW Motorrad CE 04. Standing out with its distinctive styling, it reaches 50 km/h in just 2.6 seconds – an exhilarating way to zoom across town. By the way, just like the BMW Motorrad CE 04, all future new BMW Motorrad models built for urban mobility will be pure electric.  

Infrastructure is key if electric cars are to penetrate the market. With BMW Charging and MINI Charging, we offer our customers a sizeable network of over 200,000 charging points all over Europe. We also partner with IONITY, a high-power charging network with over 400 charging parks along Europe’s major routes. No more range anxiety, with a BMW or MINI electric vehicle, you can just get in your car and drive anywhere. 

Let’s talk about batteries – specifically, their production. The lithium required to store energy in high-performance batteries is hard to mine and cannot be reused, making them a huge issue when it comes to sustainability. That’s why we’re investing heavily in sustainable and controlled battery production. At the BMW Group’s Battery Research Centre, for example, work is currently focusing on battery features that provide a high degree of customer value, including energy density, peak power, longevity, charging properties, costs, behavior at various temperatures and, of course, safety. At the same time, we are building a pilot plant for lithium-ion battery cells near Munich, making the BMW Group the first automotive manufacturer to singlehandedly cover the entire process chain of electric driving.  

This is by far not the end of our ambition. For our “Neue Klasse” line, due to premiere in the 2025, we’ll increase energy density massively while reducing the cost of materials and manufacturing. And in line with our circular “secondary first” strategy, we’ll bear down hard on the use of primary materials. Cost, performance and range will be equal to those of modern internal combustion engines. We’ll rethink batteries right down to their chemical composition and make them truly sustainable. 

So, how much power do we need? Power itself is abundant. We’re surrounded by it. It’s not so much the question how much, but what kind. And here, the BMW Group is determined to lead the way to a sustainable future, where mobility feels good, because it doesn’t harm the planet.