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BMW’s top-end New Klasse model will have a range of up to 800 km.
BMW AG presented the first prototype of its future electric-vehicle lineup, entering a new phase in the battle to catch Tesla Inc and protect sales in China, its most important market.
The Vision New Class concept car, displayed at next week’s IAA show in Munich, shows BMW’s dedicated EV underpinnings due in 2025 – around the time Mercedes-Benz Group AG is introducing its new battery-powered models. Volkswagen AG’s similar architecture has been delayed due to software problems, leaving the flagship Porsche and Audi vehicles behind.
With the sleek coupe, BMW is moving away from a decades-old tradition of primarily advertising its ‘ultimate driving machines’ performance. Instead, it’s touting a digital display projected across the full width of the windscreen, as well as software that can process voice commands and hand gestures. The move is a nod to customers in China, who are increasingly turning to domestic brands such as BYD Co and NIO Inc, which have been better at making EVs with gadgets to suit local tastes.
New Klasse “sets our course for the next decades,” said Chief Executive Officer Oliver Zipse.
BMW, Mercedes and Audi long dominated sales of premium combustion-engine cars in China, but have been left behind by the country’s rapid shift toward electric vehicles.
BYD ousted VW as China’s best-selling carmaker this year, and Mercedes cut prices of its flagship electric sedan late last year after disappointing sales. Electric cars and plug-in hybrids are expected to account for 90% of the world’s biggest auto market by the end of this decade, increasing the need for Western premium brands to ramp up their offerings. The price war launched by Tesla in China has also added to the pressure.
Gypsy told reporters in Munich on Saturday that BMW is growing in China, especially on electric cars, and the carmaker is not affected by the price war because of its position in the premium segment. The new class will also be more profitable than the company’s current lineup of battery-powered cars, he said.
BMW’s top-end Neue Klasse models will have a range of up to 800 km (497 mi) and charge from 10% to 80% in less than half an hour, numbers that probably won’t make them best in class. Last year, an electric prototype from Mercedes ran more than 1,000 kilometers on a single charge.
But according to a recent consumer survey by consultancy AlixPartners, BMW still ranks second in China in terms of technical features in its cars. BMW finished behind Geely’s Zyker but ahead of Xpeng, Tesla and VW.
Despite the new focus on digital features, BMW won’t completely ditch its brand traditions. According to Zipse, while most EVs these days offer fast top speeds, the Neue Klasse will be more fun to drive at higher speeds than many competitors.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV Staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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