The BMW Group sees the electrification of its model range as a key component of its product strategy to reduce fleet emissions and thus achieve its ambitious strategic CO₂ reduction targets.
2025 sees the BMW Group take its core BMW brand into a new era that’s fully electric in every respect – with the launch of the Neue Klasse. By 2030 the BMW Group expects to have delivered a grand total of more than 10 million fully electric cars to customers worldwide.
The BMW Group’s electrified vehicles are characterised by their high efficiency and low consumption. However, the BMW Group has greater aspirations: its vehicles need to be as eco-friendly as possible, not only during their locally carbon-free use phase, but also in terms of their overall footprint, including the supply chain and production. Unlike conventional combustion engine-powered vehicles, the environmental impact of battery-powered automobiles lies predominantly in the upstream value chain. Where the use of natural raw materials to manufacture battery cells and the carbon-intensive production of batteries make a significant impact.
It is therefore particularly important to the BMW Group to include environmental and social aspects in the production of components such as electric motors, high-voltage storage systems and battery cells. Other approaches to mitigating the environmental impacts include increasing the use of recycling and reusing high-voltage storage units from our BEV and PHEV models in an appropriate manner. The BMW Group offers customers who purchase its battery-powered vehicles the option to take back their high-voltage batteries free of charge. The offer also applies to markets where take-back is not mandatory by law.
Our product portfolio serves the growing level of demand for electrified models and at the same time takes into account the varying framework conditions and customer needs in each individual market. In addition to all-electric vehicles, our customers can therefore choose from a wide range of plug-in hybrids and vehicles powered by efficient combustion engines. Our flexible production systems and scalable modular vehicle system reflect our rigorous focus on customer needs. With the launch of the new BMW i5, a further model series is now available with all three types of drive system, which previously applied to the BMW X1, BMW X3, BMW 3 Series and the BMW 7 Series.
At the BMW Group, customer-oriented technological diversity also includes the ongoing development of fuel cell technology. Depending on the segment, we see hydrogen-powered electric vehicles as a potentially key alternative to battery-powered electric mobility and thus as an opportunity to reduce carbon emissions even more quickly.
The BMW Group assesses the increase in the electric ranges of its vehicles from various points of view. Our main approach is to optimally adapt vehicle ranges to the respective purpose of use and user behaviour. With this strategy we also take into account the environmental impact, as greater range also means deploying larger and therefore heavier high-voltage batteries. This relationship has an effect on resource consumption and the carbon footprint of the supply chain as well as the vehicle’s weight and therefore its electricity consumption.
The new all-electric MINI Cooper SE, which is mainly designed for urban use, has a customer-focused range of around 400 kilometres (WLTP2). The new BMW i5 can achieve a range of up to 582 km in the statutory WLTP test cycle, depending on factors such as equipment and type of motor. With offers such as the BMW eDrive Zone, attractive electricity tariffs for driving, charging equipment, the integration of charging in the vehicle app and increased ranges, we are helping drivers of plug-in hybrids to drive electrically as frequently and over as long a distance as possible. For instance, the BMW X5 Plug-in-Hybrid from the compact segment can cover up to 110 kilometres (WLTP2) solely on battery power.
An expanded, customer-friendly charging infrastructure will pave the way for the rapid and widespread use of electric mobility. This relationship is supported, for example, by market data collected within the EU – both at the level of member states and in a comparison of different regions. A prerequisite for the swift development of an efficient charging infrastructure is a high level of willingness on the part of all stakeholders. This applies in particular to the expansion of charging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure within the EU – a key factor in achieving the ambitious fleet carbon reduction targets adopted in 2022. The BMW Group continues to advocate for standardised framework conditions and creates offers that enable customer-friendly charging on a broad basis.
With the adoption of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) in 2023, the EU resolved to set up a basic network of both electric charging stations and hydrogen filling stations by the end of 2030. From the BMW Group’s point of view, this is a first key step towards providing a customer-friendly charging infrastructure. The BMW Group remains committed to achieving standardised framework conditions and encourages offers that enable customer-friendly charging on a broad basis. An expanded, customer-friendly charging infrastructure will pave the way for the rapid and widespread use of electric mobility.
BMW and MINI customers can locate more than 2 million charging points around the world via their navigation system or vehicle app. In Europe alone, our public BMW/MINI Charging service offers easy access to an extensive network including fast-chargers with capacity of up to 350 kilowatts (kW). These are provided byIONITY, a company co-founded by the BMW Group. Charging stations are available for the public to use with any brand of car. They meet the European Combined Charging System (CCS) standard and are powered by 100% green energy.
In the year under report, the BMW Group also announced the establishment of a charging network in the USA and Canada together with six other manufacturers. The aim is to install at least 30,000 charging points in cities, towns and along major transport routes. The first charging stations are scheduled to open in summer 2024.
With the new charging infrastructure under the terms of a cooperation with Mercedes-Benz in China, the BMW Group is meeting its charging commitment in its three most important markets. With this aim in mind, at least 1,000 charging stations with around 7,000 charging points are to be installed by the end of 2026. The network will be open to drivers of all brands. The first charging stations will go into operation as early as 2024 in regions with a high density of electrified vehicles.
BMW and MINI Charging provide the Flexible Fast Charger and other charging products for use both on the move and at home. We also offer charging solutions for corporate customers in cooperation with our partners. The BMW Group itself operates one of the largest company charging networks in Germany.
Charging should be as easy as conventional refuelling and we are working on digital solutions in particular to meet this demand. These include Connected Charging – an application that can be accessed from the vehicle as well as via an app. Via the service, drivers not only receive up-to-date charging information, since 2022 they have also been able to control the charging process at the touch of a button. The eRoute function also enables customers to plan their charging stops on long-distance trips. In the course of 2023, the first BMW models will also be equipped with a Plug&Charge function, in which both authentication and billing will be done automatically by connecting the vehicle to the charging system. Using the so-called multi-contract functionality, individual driving electricity tariff contracts from various providers can also be stored digitally within the vehicle to facilitate the use of charging stations from different operators.
We also promote the use of renewable energy. Since 2022, for each charging process conducted via BMW and MINI Charging, the equivalent amount of energy consumed is fed into the power grid as green electricity, which is certified via Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs) as recognised proofs of origin. Moreover, we are continuously working on integrating electric vehicles with their high-voltage storage systems in the energy grid.
As an innovation brand, the BMW Group is shaping the technologies for the mobility of the future. BMW stands for a progressive understanding of premium that is committed to holistic sustainability and electromobility. Vehicles such as the BMW i4, BMW i5, BMW i5 Touring, BMW i7, BMW iX1, BMW iX2, BMW iX3, BMW iX, BMW i Vision Circular, MINI Cooper SE, MINI Countryman SE and the MINI Aceman are good examples of this orientation.
Battery cells, locally sourced: The BMW Group is developing the regional supply chain for battery materials. The “local for local” approach will save CO₂, streamline logistics and boost the efficiency of our production network. We are also concentrating battery cell production at our new Cell Manufacturing Competence Centre in Parsdorf – along with our innovation and expertise in this field.
The BMW Group, then, is bringing the entire process of battery cell production together under one umbrella, right from the supply chain. As a key component in electric cars, batteries are very much the focus and a key issue in the development of electric mobility.
