With electrification as one of the central pillars of the BMW Group’s corporate strategy, Diplomat reports on the latest developments

Today, the BMW Group offers the widest range of electrified vehicles of any car manufacturer in the world, with nine models already on the market. These range from the fully-electric BMW i3 to the company’s newest electrified model, the MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4, a plug-in hybrid version of the MINI Countryman, which is produced by VDL Nedcar in the Netherlands. The company has committed to selling 100,000 electrified vehicles in 2017 and will have a total of 200,000 electrified vehicles on the roads by the end of the year.

The BMW Group recently announced the next step in electrification strategy: all brands and model series can be electrified, with a full-electric or plug-in hybrid drivetrain being offered in addition to the combustion engine option. Additional electrified models will be brought to market in the coming years, and beyond 2020 the company’s next generation vehicle architecture will enable further fully-electric vehicles.

The new battery-electric MINI will be a variant of the brand’s three door model. Going into production in 2019, this fully-electric car will increase the choice of MINI powertrains to include petrol and diesel engines, a plug-in hybrid and a battery electric vehicle. The electric MINI’s electric drivetrain will be built at the BMW Group’s e-mobility centre at Plants Dingolfing and Landshut in Bavaria before being integrated into the car at Plant Oxford, which is the main production location for the MINI 3 door model.

This new, fully-electric MINI is one of a series of electrified models to be launched by the BMW and MINI brands in the coming years. In 2018, the BMW i8 Roadster will become the newest member of the BMW i family. The all-electric BMW X3 has been announced for 2020, and the BMW iNEXT is due in 2021.

By 2025, the BMW Group expects electrified vehicles to account for between 15-25 per cent of sales. However, factors such as regulation, incentives and charging infrastructure will play a major role in determining the scale of electrification from market to market.

 5 Series Hybrid: 

The world’s most successful business sedan will now be available as a plug-in hybrid variant. The BMW 530e iPerformance is a sporty sedan that serves up the dynamic driving experience for which BMW is renowned, together with zero local emissions. The BMW 530e iPerformance is the most innovative model in its class. In this vehicle, BMW eDrive technology teams up with a BMW TwinPower Turbo petrol engine to create an exceptionally economical and powerful plug-in hybrid drive system that fits perfectly with the dynamic, smooth and efficient character profile of the new BMW 5 Series.

MINI Countryman Hybrid:

The MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 is the first model of the British premium brand with plug-in hybrid drive mobility. The job of providing efficient forward propulsion is shared between a 3-cylinder petrol engine and a synchronous electric motor. Together they provide impressive fuel consumption and a CO2 emissions figure of 52 – 49 grams per kilometre (EU test cycle figures for plug-in hybrid vehicles). The MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 is the perfect vehicle for urban target groups who wish to enjoy the benefits of purely electric mobility when commuting between home and work every day, for example, while at the same time benefiting from unlimited long-distance suitability at the weekend.

New i3: 

The BMW i3 is the best-selling electric car in the premium compact market. The car is recognised globally as a symbol of sustainability and intelligent connectivity in the urban market. Making its debut alongside the new edition of the first ever premium all-electric car is the BMW i3s. With a higher output, more dynamic driving qualities and design features of its own, the BMWi3s offers a premium-quality, all-electric driving experience, meaning zero local emissions, together with a whole new level of connectivity. The BMW i brand has established itself as a pioneer for forward-thinking mobility.

7 Series Hybrid:  

The BMW eDrive drive system technology developed for BMW i cars has arrived in the new BMW 7 Series model range in the shape of three plug-in hybrid luxury sedans. The trio source their power from the myriad talents of a latest-generation four-cylinder petrol engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology and an electric motor. The new BMW 740e iPerformance with standard wheelbase and the new BMW 740Le iPerformance with long wheelbase capture the imagination with supreme dynamics, yet also record CO2 emissions of 50 – 45 grams per kilometre. In the new BMW 740Le xDrive’s iPerformance, intelligent all-wheel drive distributes the combined power of the combustion engine and electric motor permanently and as required between the front and rear wheels.

The plug-in hybrid variants of the new BMW 7 Series allow top-level driving pleasure, long-distance comfort and luxury to be experienced in combination with all-electric, locally emission-free mobility as well.

For more information about electric vehicles in the BMW and MINI ranges, or to hear about how they could benefit you, please call the BMW Group Diplomatic Sales team on 020 7514 3555, or pop into our showrooms. We are conveniently located at 56 Park Lane in Mayfair. www.bmwtaxfree.co.uk