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BMW plans to make affordable electric cars

The automaker’s chief executive has said BMW will not give up its entry-level models during the transition to electric vehicles. recent interview with Reuters.

BMW CEO Oliver Zipse said: “We are not leaving the lower market segment. “Even if you consider yourself a high-end manufacturer, leaving the lower market segment is a mistake—it will be the core of your business going forward.”

As Reuters noted, those comments contrast with rival Mercedes-Benz’s strategy, which is cutting down on low-end models and shifting resources to more expensive — and profitable models. higher -.

BMW i7 2023

BMW i7 2023

BMW’s most recent EV efforts haven’t emphasized affordability. The BMW i4 is a step up in size and price over the discontinued i3, bmw ix positioned near the top of the automaker’s SUV lineup, and bmw i7 is the electric version of BMW’s flagship 7-Series.

On the other hand, BMW is currently building one of the most affordable electric cars in the US market—but it’s a Mini. Mini Cooper SE 2023 is one of the the five lowest priced electric cars Available now in the US, with a base price of $35,075. That only buys 114 miles of range, however.

Any affordable BMW-badged electric vehicle in the future will likely use the Neue Klasse dedicated electric vehicle platform and the set of components that BMW plans to bring to market by the end of the decade. This will mark a shift from BMW’s current strategy of using shared platforms for electric and internal combustion engine models, such as the CLAR platform that underpins the i4 and i7, and The timing will also be used for the BMW i5 launched in 2023.

Mini Cooper SE 2022

Mini Cooper SE 2022

Zipse earlier this year clarified that the original Neue Klasse will be roughly the same size as it is now BMW Series 3, formerly the automaker’s best-selling model. However, it is no longer a true entry-level model as the BMW 2-Series Gran Coupe is now positioned below it in the automaker’s lineup in the US.

BMW in September also confirmed the switch to cylindrical battery cell in Neue Klasse models—and possibly other EV models, will continue to grow. The automaker hopes the format, already used by Tesla, Lucid and Rivian, will unlock range gains of up to 30%.



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