BMW revealed it has big plans to begin introducing electric cars for mass production in the near future—and yes, they even include Rolls-Royce and its BMW M-division cars.
The German automaker revealed it has 12 new fully-electric vehicles under development and plans to start producing the first of them in 2020. By 2025, the automaker will offer 25 electrified cars globally, with a mix of plug-in hybrids and pure-electric cars, according to Reuters. BMW also said future technology will help some of the future electric boast ranges up to 435 miles. That's a considerable leap from most electric cars on sale today, though it's likely measured using the relatively lenient NEDC test cycle.
The electric-car plans come after BMW confirmed its on-again, off-again i5 electric car will surface at this year's Frankfurt motor show in concept form. The electric sedan is rumored to take on the Tesla Model S directly and feature a range of 300 to 435 miles. The i5 concept will begin the brand's efforts to refocus on the "i" sub-brand.
However, the plans reach beyond mass-market products. Reuters reports the electric cars will also include BMW M models and Rolls-Royce vehicles. "We will be increasing the share of electrified models across all brands and model series," BMW CEO Harald Krueger said, "and, yes, that also includes the Rolls-Royce brand and BMW M vehicles."
Rolls Royce Phantom Experimental Electric 102EX
Rolls-Royce itself has said of its future powertrains that it plans to skip hybrids and move straight to battery-electric vehicles. However, the British luxury brand was careful not to pinpoint when its first electric car would arrive. The opulent brand cited shortcomings such as range and infrastructure as areas that need improvement before internal-combustion engines can be replaced. As for when an electrified M car will arrive, BMW offered no additional insight.
We'll know more about BMW's future electrification plans when the automaker takes the stage at the Frankfurt motor show. Until then, visit our dedicated hub.