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BMW Annual Conference 2025 -- Video & Press Release:
Future. Technology. Growth.
Technology-open innovations, consistent electrification of the model range and the upcoming launch of the Neue Klasse were the dominant themes at the BMW Group’s Annual Conference in Munich on 14 March 2025.
THE BIGGEST FUTURE-FOCUSED PROJECT IN THE HISTORY OF THE COMPANY.
The BMW Group is driving change – with new models, new technologies and a strong financial position: “What has always set the BMW Group apart is our ability to maintain our course, even in challenging conditions. We remain clearly focused on two things – our near-term performance and our long-term perspective,” said Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, on Friday. “With the Neue Klasse, we are implementing the biggest future-focused project in the history of our company, while at the same time achieving a robust free cash flow.”
The Neue Klasse marks the launch of an unprecedented model offensive. It starts at the end of this year, with the new BMW iX3 Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV). This will be followed by more than 40 other new and revised models by 2027, all of which will benefit from the new technology clusters that will gradually be rolled out across the entire model portfolio.
“We are taking a huge leap forward with our new technology clusters, achieving maximum scalability, increasing the level of innovation and enhancing customer benefit. We do not differentiate between segments or drivetrain technologies – we provide every customer with the latest technology,” said Zipse.
CONSISTENT STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION.
In 2024 the BMW Group invested heavily in innovative technologies, the model portfolio and its plants worldwide. With R&D and investments having peaked as planned, expenditure is expected to fall this year. “Never before in the history of BMW have we invested so extensively in our future. Investment reached its highest level in 2024, as planned. This underlines the durability of our strategy – and how consistently we are implementing it,” said Walter Mertl, member of the Board of Management, Finance.
TECHNOLOGY OPENNESS AS A STRATEGIC SUCCESS FACTOR IN THE GLOBAL COMPETITION.
The diversity of the drivetrain portfolio remains a key success factor for the BMW Group. With internal combustion engines and our plug-in hybrid, battery-electric and soon hydrogen fuel-cell electric drivetrains as well, we are well positioned to meet the diverse needs and requirements of customers worldwide, both today and in the future. Highly efficient internal combustion engines remain in strong demand, and in 2024 alone, we released more than 15 new or updated combustion-powered models. What’s more, all engines are already approved for higher percentages of renewable fuels – the most effective way to reduce the carbon footprint of the existing European fleet of over 250 million vehicles.
Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) remain the BMW Group’s main growth driver. Our broad all-electric range comprises more than 15 models across all brands and is one of the most extensive in the competition. In 2024, BMW Group BEV sales worldwide rose to 426,536 units, accounting for more than 17% of sales. At MINI, one in four vehicles is fully electric, at Rolls-Royce, it’s already one in three.
Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) also remain crucial to the electrification of the BMW Group’s model range: state-of-the-art PHEVs by BMW offer an all-electric range of over 100 kilometres, contributing substantially to CO₂ reductions. In 2024 the BMW Group delivered nearly 600,000 electrified vehicles (PHEVs + BEVs) in total to customers, meaning almost one in four of our vehicles sold was electrified.
ELECTRIFIED DELIVERIES REACH NEW ALL-TIME HIGH – IMPORTANT MILESTONES IN 2025.
The company will reach two major milestones in 2025: first, three million electrified vehicles on the roads since the launch of the BMW i3 and BMW i8 and, second, 1.5 million fully-electric vehicles delivered to customers.
The decrease in the CO₂ emissions of the new vehicle fleet also underlines the effectiveness of technology openness: Based on preliminary figures, the BMW Group was able to reduce its EU fleet emissions to below 100 grams of CO₂ per kilometre (WLTP) for the first time in 2024.
Neue Klasse ON THE STARTING BLOCKS – BMW iX3 WILL BE THE FIRST PRODUCTION VEHICLE.
Series production of the Neue Klasse will get underway in late 2025, starting with the BMW iX3. This will roll off the production line at the new plant in Debrecen, Hungary, and kick off a dynamic model ramp-up lasting through to 2027: more than 40 models with all drive variants will launch in quick succession, among them a sporty sedan that will be core to the BMW brand and released in 2026.
The series launch of the BMW iX3 will also mark the start of the rollout of the new technology clusters across the BMW product line-up. In developing these clusters, the BMW Group was highly innovative, successfully registering numerous patents for electric motor components, display projection technologies and driving dynamics control functions, among other things. In the future, every BMW model will benefit, not just from the new model generation’s technological advances but from the new design language as well.
Digital “nervous system” for new software-defined vehicle
Meanwhile, the BMW Group is also taking the driver and customer experience up to the next level – with completely redesigned components for its software-defined vehicle. The result is a fully restructured digital nervous system with new on-board network and software architectures and four “superbrains”. These high-performance computers deliver the computing power for the infotainment, automated driving, driving dynamics and basic functions.
With this new approach, the BMW Group is centralising and significantly reducing the number of electronic control units in the vehicle while providing well over 20 times more in-car computing power and a more efficient on-board network. What’s more, with 600 metres less cable, weight is down by 30%. A flexible electricity supply is now possible too, thanks to digital fuses – or smart eFuses – which allow unnecessary load consumers to be deactivated, for instance during parking or charging.
Overall, the redesign of the electronics architecture has delivered a quantum leap in performance, integration capability and efficiency, with over-the-air upgrades keeping vehicles digitally up to date at all times. Over the course of this year, the BMW Group expects to have 10 million vehicles capable of over-the-air updates out on the roads.
Next-level driving experience.
Ten times faster, developed entirely in-house and delivering maximum integration: the Heart of Joy and the new BMW Dynamic Performance Control software set standards in terms of the driving experience. For the very first time, the new, highly integrated control unit – which will make its way into every fully-electric BMW of the future – combines both drivetrain and driving dynamics functions. Integrated control of the drivetrain, braking and recuperation takes efficiency to the next level, with recuperation braking sufficing in 98% of cases and only minimal need for the conventional brake interventions. The Heart of Joy boosts overall efficiency by up to 25%.
Focus on driver centricity: the new BMW Panoramic iDrive.
More than 20 years ago, the BMW Group set the benchmark for driver centricity and intuitive operability with its BMW iDrive system. It is now about to take the next step: the new BMW iX3 will feature a completely new display and highly intelligent operating system designed to deliver on the brand's hallmark approach of “hands on the wheel, eyes on the road”.
The BMW Panoramic iDrive features a totally redesigned central interface for driver-vehicle interaction. At the heart of it is the BMW Panoramic Vision – a completely newly-developed concept that projects content across the full width of the windscreen. The system is rounded off by three other new components: the 3D head-up display, central display and multifunction steering wheel. The entire system is operated either by touch or via the BMW Personal Assistant, which is now significantly enhanced by a Large Language Model (LLM).
SIXTH-Generation BMW eDrive Technology.
The Neue Klasse also sees the BMW Group launch its sixth-generation eDrive technology. This comprises three significantly enhanced components: the high-voltage battery, the electric motor and the BMW Energy Master. This was developed in-house as the control unit for the high-voltage battery and will be manufactured at BMW Group Plant Landshut.
For the high-voltage battery, the BMW Group will use round cells and an 800-volt system in the future. This will enhance energy density by 20%, charging times by 30% and range by over 30%, even more in some models. Integrated and wired directly into the battery housing, the round cells mean the intermediate module level is no longer needed – which saves space and weight as well.
The BMW Group’s e-drives are based on DC-excited synchronous motors (SSMs), which are developed and produced in-house. Vehicles with the all-wheel xDrive system also come with the option of an additional asynchronous motor (ASMs) installed on the front axle.
STRONG BRANDS AND A DIVERSE PRODUCT PORTFOLIO.
The BMW Group’s market success stems from its fresh, attractive product line-up for all segments. In 2024 the fourth generation of the successful BMW X3 was launched, with the latest BMW 1 Series and BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé released in the entry-level segment. In BMW’s core segment, the BMW 3 Series and BMW 4 Series were enhanced. The updated BMW iX now offers a fully electric range of over 700 kilometres in the WLTP cycle.
In 2024 M GmbH posted record sales for the 13th consecutive year, building on its broad and diverse model line-up which includes the BMW M3 CS Touring, BMW M5 Sedan and BMW M5 Touring. At MINI the launch of the new Convertible means the New MINI Family is now complete, comprising five models in total. Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce recently introduced its second fully electric model, Spectre Black Badge. 300 million pounds are currently being invested in the marque’s Goodwood production site, in the UK, to meet growing demand for its highly bespoke vehicles.
BMW Motorrad reported its highest ever sales last year, attributable to its highly sought-after GS models, new heritage R12 series and the high-performance long-distance sports bikes from the four-cylinder series.
