BMW Focus: Highly flexible electric architecture for future lineup

BMW launched the i Division a few years ago. Both BMW i3 and i8 cars have properly set the standard for BMW’s future electric vehicles. The German automaker recognises though that they need to create a flexible architecture that can accommodate both electric, hybrid and traditional car variants. Future regulations may also change the direction that BMW has envisaged.

“A successful electrification strategy must be capable of dealing with a range of outcomes, including optimistic or more cautious scenarios. If we manage that, we will be able to reconcile sustainable mobility with sustainable profitability,” said BMW’s board member responsible for finance.

BMW has already laid groundwork for the past ten years in developing its architectures to be open to electrification. The BMW 530e and 330e models were only possible because of this foresight. Now, BMW wants to do that again. “Thanks to this approach by mid-2017 – less than four years after the launch of the BMW i3 – our range of products will include eight plug-in hybrid models and we will deliver our 200,000th electric vehicle in the course of the year,” said BMW CEO Harald Krüger.

Right now, BMW is just starting its second phase of its plans for the future, basically prepping for its next phase, the iNEXT phase. “The all-electric MINI and the all-electric BMW X3 will mark the beginning of the second wave of electrification for the BMW Group, benefitting from the ongoing technological progress we are making in this area,” Krüger said. “Strategy NUMBER ONE > NEXT sets out our strategic course for further electrification and the direction of project i over the coming decade. We will incorporate all-electric, battery-powered mobility into our core brands, as we have already done successfully with our plug-in hybrid vehicles. By using highly flexible architectures we can avoid duplicate investments in plant and equipment and will be able to adapt our range of electric and conventional vehicles to changing demand both quickly and efficiently.”

BMW’s plans are only going to get bigger and bigger each year. Can’t wait to see the all-electric BMW X3 and MINI!