BMW’s Imaginative and prescient Neue Klasse full-electric idea that will likely be unveiled subsequent month will showcase a close to production-ready automobile, CEO Oliver Zipse mentioned.
The manufacturing model will likely be on roads quickly, Zipse added throughout an earnings name on Thursday.
Zipse described the Neue Klasse battery-electric platform as a “megaproject” inside BMW. “It’s about nothing lower than the way forward for the BMW model, the BMW Group and our portfolio,” he mentioned.
Zipse didn’t give additional particulars on which mannequin the idea will preview. The idea will likely be revealed on Sept. 2 forward of the IAA Mobility present in Munich that begins Sept. 4.
The automobile would be the third Imaginative and prescient idea created by BMW to focus on its future applied sciences following the sustainability-focused i Imaginative and prescient Round proven on the 2021 Munich present and the digital-focused i Imaginative and prescient Dee proven on the CES in Las Vegas in January.
BMW has beforehand mentioned the primary automobiles off the platform will likely be a 3 Collection-sized sedan and a midsize SUV.
BMW will start output of the primary Neue Klasse automobiles in 2025 at its new manufacturing unit in Debrecen, Hungary, adopted by manufacturing at its Munich plant beginning in 2026. Neue Klasse automobiles additionally will likely be constructed at BMW’s manufacturing unit in Shenyang, China, beginning in 2026, and at its plant in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, from 2027.
Zipse has beforehand mentioned the Neue Klasse automobiles will set a “benchmark by way of vary, charging velocity and pricing.”
New cells, AV tech
The platform will use newly developed cylindrical cells that BMW says enhance power density by greater than 20 %, charging velocity by as much as 30 % and driving vary by 30 %, in comparison with right this moment’s battery know-how.
The cells will use a nickel-based chemistry with decreased cobalt content material and can cut back CO2 output within the manufacturing stage by 60 %, BMW mentioned.
BMW has beforehand mentioned the Neue Klasse platform will provide Stage 2+ and Stage 3 autonomous driving, with L2+ referring to palms off the wheel, however eyes on the highway. Stage 3 will enable the automobile to take over driving beneath particular circumstance, corresponding to alongside a stretch of freeway.
BMW has timed the automobile’s unveiling to coincide with the sixtieth anniversary of the rollout of its earlier Neue Klasse automobile, a midsize sedan that revived the fortunes of the model within the Nineteen Sixties after the corporate struggled to ascertain itself with bigger fashions.
BMW launched the important thing 1800 mannequin in September 1963. The 1800 turned by far the best-selling model of the unique Neue Klasse vary.
Zipse mentioned BMW was on observe for full-electric automobiles to account for 15 % of the group’s total gross sales this yr. International deliveries of full-electric automobiles doubled to 152,936 within the first half, accounting for 12.6 % of gross sales.