A BMW top executive said the carmaker will not add a third model to its BMW i lineup until it has a better idea of demand for the existent i3 and i8 models. BMW has invested so far an estimated €2 billion ($2.7 billion) into its electrified range of vehicles and says it has more than 11,000 orders for the i3 hatchback since its November launch.
Although BMW has trademarked the series through to number i9, the carmaker’s management board member in charge of production said it currently has no plans to add a new model to the i3 EV and the i8 hybrid sports car.
“We need to see how demand for the cars develops,” Harald Krueger was quoted as saying by Reuters, adding that the i8 will launch early this year. Krueger also said there are no plans to build the i3 in China, as the infrastructure there is still under development.
The executive didn’t offer a specific figure of BMW’s current rate of production for the i3, which is built in Leipzig, Germany.
The carmaker already has assembly plants in China where it builds its more conventional cars. Together with joint-venture partner Brilliance China Automotive, BMW has a factory in Shenyang, where the 3-Series and 5-Series sedans are manufactured.
By Dan Mihalascu
PHOTO GALLERY
