BMW will launch a new class of environmentally friendly vehicles under its own brand, signaling that even premium automakers are ready to embrace electric vehicles as a mainstream product.
Without new concepts and technologies, certain carmakers "may no longer be in the market" soon after the advent of a raft of tax penalties and incentives designed to force the auto industry to go green, CEO Norbert Reithofer said.
BMW's board decided to create a new sub-brand -- similar to its "M" label for its high-performance cars -- to label a new range of sustainable vehicles, Reithofer said on a conference call on Tuesday.
"As BMW is the innovation driver within the group, the decision for a sub-brand under BMW is the most logical step," Reithofer said in a statement prior to the conference.
The new class of vehicles could include a two-wheel model and will target commuters in large cities, BMW said.
Previous plans to consider adding a fourth brand to the group's existing Rolls-Royce, BMW and Mini marques had been put to rest, BMW said, adding the first vehicle to be launched under the new drive will be an electric car.
BMW and rival Daimler already have electric vehicles bearing the Mini and Smart brands and offer gasoline-electric hybrid cars.
But both premium automakers have so far avoided offering electric vehicles under the BMW and Mercedes-Benz brands even as mainstream rivals Nissan Motor Co., Toyota Motor Corp. and Volkswagen AG have announced plans to launch their own-brand electric cars in the next several years. Renault revealed its Leaf full-electric hatchback three days ago. Nissan will begin selling the Leaf in the United States, Japan and Europe toward the end of 2010. The car's global rollout is scheduled for 2012.
Electric vehicles have so far proved to be a niche product due to technological limitations that prevent the cars from covering long distances on a single charge.
Another factor limiting the appeal of electric vehicles is a long charging time with the current battery technology.
BMW's board decided to create a new sub-brand -- similar to its "M" label for its high-performance cars -- to label a new range of sustainable vehicles, Reithofer said on a conference call on Tuesday.
"As BMW is the innovation driver within the group, the decision for a sub-brand under BMW is the most logical step," Reithofer said in a statement prior to the conference.
The new class of vehicles could include a two-wheel model and will target commuters in large cities, BMW said.
Previous plans to consider adding a fourth brand to the group's existing Rolls-Royce, BMW and Mini marques had been put to rest, BMW said, adding the first vehicle to be launched under the new drive will be an electric car.
BMW and rival Daimler already have electric vehicles bearing the Mini and Smart brands and offer gasoline-electric hybrid cars.
But both premium automakers have so far avoided offering electric vehicles under the BMW and Mercedes-Benz brands even as mainstream rivals Nissan Motor Co., Toyota Motor Corp. and Volkswagen AG have announced plans to launch their own-brand electric cars in the next several years. Renault revealed its Leaf full-electric hatchback three days ago. Nissan will begin selling the Leaf in the United States, Japan and Europe toward the end of 2010. The car's global rollout is scheduled for 2012.
Electric vehicles have so far proved to be a niche product due to technological limitations that prevent the cars from covering long distances on a single charge.
Another factor limiting the appeal of electric vehicles is a long charging time with the current battery technology.
Automotive News
5 Agosto 2009
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