BMW Head of EV Strategy Denies Unplugging Electric Car Plans

Rumors that Project i will be unplugged and discontinued started last month. Rumors suggested that BMW found it more ideal to scale back on future BMW i models since the i3 launch was delayed and the whole Project i was still very unsure of its future. To put these rumors to rest, Rich Steinberg head of electric vehicle strategy and sales for North America, speaks about BMW’s future plans for Project i.

Recently, Automobile Magazine ran a story that claimed BMW is having second thoughts about the i brand and is working on contingency plans and an exit strategy in the event they decide to shuttle the brand, is there any truth to that?

Rich: Absolutely not. There is no truth to that.

The article goes on the say BMW might be considering delaying the launch of the i3 and i8 to concentrate on a plug-in hybrid or even making a gas-only model, is this a possibility?

Rich: No, that’s not correct, there is no delay. We will however continue to develop our hybrid and plug in hybrid technology not exclusive to the i brand.

The article also claimed that BMW is blaming their retreat on the fact that many of the external catalysts that BMW had hoped would help the deployment electric cars have failed to materialize. They sited the lack of public infrastructure and that promised government incentives have fallen victim to Europe’s new emphasis on austerity. Have these conditions caused BMW to second-guess whether electric vehicles will succeed?

Rich: No. While these outside catalysts will help the adoption of electric vehicles, they are not directly related to the i brand development. Our plans remain unchanged.

One of the things in the article that I found strange was that Automobile claimed BMW was backing off their sales expectations of 100,000 i3′s and 10,000 i8′s per year. Everything I have ever read from BMW about the i3 stated that BMW goal was to sell 30,000 i3′s worldwide per year, not 100,000 and I’ve never read any sales predictions for the i8. This alone made me wonder if the article really had any credible information. Did BMW ever have a sales prediction of 100,000 i3′s and 10,000 i8′s per year?

Rich: I really can’t discuss sales goals at this time, but to answer your question; no I have never seen it stated that BMW plans to sell 100,000 i3’s per year and I can’t say where they would have got that from.

Is the i3 still on schedule to launch in the second half of 2013 as we have been hearing all along?

Rich: Our global plans for the i brand have not changed.

BMW recently announced the BMW Born Electric World Tour. It opens in Rome in a couple weeks before visiting Düsseldorf, Tokyo, New York, London, Paris and Shanghai. We’ve all seen the concept vehicles already, so I assume the tour will offer more than just the cars on display, what else can we expect?

Rich: Yes, there will definitely be more than just the cars on display. I think we’re putting together a nice schedule of events. You’re going have to come out and see when the tour visits New York in the fall.

In addition to the BMW Born Electric Tour, just last week BMW announced the opening of the first BMW i store in London and announced the BMW 360 Electric which will be a comprehensive line of products and service offered to BMW i customers. Services will include allowing BMW i customers to rent a BMW if they need to drive further than their cars range will allow. For example you buy an i3 and you need to drive further than that cars range will allow, you can drive over to your BMW dealer and pick up a gas BMW and rent it for the trip at a very competitive rate. It will also include times you travel to a far off destination. Also, if you travel to some major cities abroad you will be able to rent an i3 while your there. This way you can drive a car you are familiar with as well as continue driving a zero emission vehicle while you are away.

My time speaking to Rich along with the recent BMW i announcements reaffirm my belief that the Automobile Magazine story was nothing to take seriously. However, ultimately actions speak louder than words. We’re still a little over a year from the i3’s speculated launch date of September 2013 and a lot can happen in fifteen months. However everything I see points to BMW coming out strong and making a big effort to be a major player in the plug-in vehicle market.

Source: InsideEVs.com