- The BMW i4 accounted for greater than half of 4 Collection gross sales in North America in 2024.
- BMW Group is struggling in Germany and China, however its U.S. EV gross sales reached a brand new file final yr.
- Its first Neue Klasse mannequin will go on sale within the U.S. later this yr.
The BMW Group is dealing with the wrath of fierce competitors from burgeoning Chinese language automakers, however its electrical car enterprise continues to be a vivid spot, particularly in North America.
In 2024, BMW and Mini gross sales fell by 13.4% in China, its largest market by gross sales quantity. Throughout Asia, gross sales declined by 10.2%, and registrations dropped by 5.3% in Germany. It’s actually robust on the market proper now for a few of Germany’s legacy automakers who’re attempting to remain related in markets more and more dominated by the likes of BYD, Xpeng, Xiaomi and extra.
However issues look totally different relating to battery-powered automobiles, particularly in North America. BMW set a brand new file for EV gross sales within the U.S., with practically 51,000 models offered. Its U.S. EV gross sales elevated to 50,981 models from 45,417 models the yr earlier than. The i4 and the i5 helped it break that file, consuming into the gross sales of their gas-powered counterparts within the 4 Collection and 5 Collection line-ups.
Photograph by: InsideEVs
BMW offered 42,608 4 Collection fashions in North America in 2024. That features the gas-powered 4 Collection Coupe, Gran Coupe, Convertible, i4 and the M fashions. The electrical i4 accounted for a whopping 23,403 models of the 4 Collection within the U.S. alone. That places the share of the i4 within the 4 Collection line-up at effectively over 50%—an indication that the 4 Collection is now primarily a battery-powered vary.
The i4 is perhaps cannibalizing 3 Collection gross sales as effectively. BMW offered solely 31,300 3 Collection fashions within the U.S. final yr, an almost 8% drop.
U.S. gross sales of the i5 grew fourfold, rising from 2,133 models in 2023 to eight,763 models final yr. BMW offered 25,315 5 Collection fashions in North America in 2024. The i5 accounts for greater than one-third of that within the U.S. alone. By comparability, Mercedes-Benz offered practically 12,000 EQEs stateside final yr. Nevertheless, whereas EQE gross sales dropped by 40%, the i5 grew by 310%.
Gross sales of the iX and i7 pale compared to its siblings, with the previous dropping by 11.1% and the latter enhancing barely by 1%.
Electrification hasn’t been so form to sedans, barring the Tesla Mannequin 3. The Hyundai Ioniq 6, regardless of being an important automotive with a placing design, is now a gross sales dud. Gross sales of Mercedes-Benz’s jelly bean-shaped electrical sedans are nosediving. Electrical crossovers, in the meantime, are stealing the present. Common Motors staged a comeback solely on the again of electrical crossovers just like the Chevy Equinox EV and Cadillac Lyriq.
The BMW i4 and i5 appear to be defying this pattern. They’ve achieved this success regardless of driving on the getting old Cluster Structure (CLAR), a gas-car platform reconfigured for EVs. They appear good, are phenomenal to drive and are available festooned with tech. Their driving vary and charging efficiency appear mediocre, however that’s set to enhance on the Neue Klasse fashions.
“It’s a beautiful, quick, high-tech and high-performance sports activities sedan, precisely what BMW made its bones on and continues to do immediately,” InsideEVs’ Editor-in-Chief Patrick George wrote of the i4 M50 final yr.
The primary of BMW’s Neue Klasse fashions, developed on a BEV-native and software-focused platform, will go on sale later this yr. So relaxation assured that there’s extra to come back from the German automaker; it now has an actual likelihood to fill the gaps and deal with the shortcomings of its present lineup.
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