- BMW is building all powertrains (gas, electric, hybrid) on a single production line.
- This allows them to easily adapt to changes in consumer demand and regulations.
- The company believes gas-powered models still have a future despite the rise of EVs.
BMW will build internal combustion and battery-electric drivelines on a single production line as it hedges its bets on different powertrains. As such, plenty of life remains in the brand’s gas-powered models, even as EVs continue to grow in popularity.
According to BMW product boss Bernd Körber, the Bavarian carmaker always knew the transition to electrification would be a bumpy road. Two years ago, the estimates for EV sales were too “optimistic,” according to Körber, but now “they’re too pessimistic.” By continuing to invest in all powertrain types, BMW can quickly respond to shifting consumer demands and changing regulatory requirements.
Read: BMW’s EV Range To Go Ballistic With New i3 Sedan, iX3, iX4, And iX5
“What plays out at the moment is our own strategy,” he told Autocar in a recent interview. “For us, it was always clear that development will be very volatile because it’s dependent on regulation and customer needs. For the foreseeable future, we’re into a technology-flexible approach, which is why we planned to build all drivetrains on one production line.”
Körber says that assembling all drivetrains on a single production line means the company doesn’t “have to close a plant of reduce a shift” if the market shifts in one direction and can simply “shift to another drivetrain.”
BMW’s approach is already visible across its existing range. For example, all-electric versions of the BMW X1, X2, and X3 are already sold alongside combustion models in some markets. This approach will extend to the brand’s Neue Klasse-based models that’ll initially include the launch of an electric sedan alongside ICE and hybrid versions of the 3-Series. While the EV will use a new platform, the standard 3-Series will have a refreshed version of the rear-wheel drive architecture currently used.
