As time marches on, BMW is showing that one of their true colors is most definitely Green. You may have heard they launched a new sub-brand, BMW i, to support their eco-friendly efforts. Further proving their commitment to the rapidly-growing EV market, they've also released sales goals of one of the i's forthcoming vehicles, the i3. Starting in 2014, the luxury automaker plans to sell a minimum of 30,000 units per year!
BMW's leader of global sales and marketing, Ian Roberston, reports BMW is "targeting volume production for the i3" and that sales volume could be "comparable to one of the lower-volume Mini derivatives."1 And, if sales exceed expectations, Roberston confidently says, "...We can easily increase our output of if opportunities arise."2 To put Robertson's statement into better perspective: Mini sold 30,000 units of its Clubman model worldwide in 2010...when the market was still in recovery mode.
BMW will launch the all-new i3 EV, formerly known as the Megacity Vehicle, in 2013, under the new i sub-brand. In addition, they'll launch the i8 plug-in hybrid - a two-door coupe that provides the performance of a sports car and the conservative fuel consumption of a compact.
The BMW i3 and BMW i8 will share electric motors, lithium ion batteries, and powertrain electronics. And both will be built in Leipzig Germany, along with the 1 series and the X1. After the launch of the i3 and i8 in 2013, BMW aims to expand its lineup even further to include more EVs.
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