German automaker BMW said Wednesday it intends to speed the rollout of new electric cars, vowing to bring battery-powered models to 50% of global sales by 2030. The company underlined the point by unveiling a new all-electric model three months ahead of plan.
BMW declined however to follow General Motors and other automakers in saying it would completely phase out internal combustion cars by a specific date. Instead, the Munich-based carmaker said it would adjust production among battery, hybrid and efficient internal combustion engines as different parts of the world adopt cars that produce zero emissions at different speeds.
CEO Oliver Zipse said during the company’s annual news conference that electrification was proceeding at a “higher speed.” He said BMW would sell its millionth electrified vehicle this year and sell another million by 2025.
Zipse said the company was working on a new, all-electric framework for its range of electric cars coming from 2025.
BMW used the occasion to reveal the production version of the i4, a battery-powered vehicle with four doors and sloping roofline dubbed a “gran coupe” by the company. The car will join three existing electrics – the i3, Mini SE and iX3 sport utility – and a fifth, the iX, also is expected to come out this year.