- The BMW i4 accounted for greater than half of 4 Sequence 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 report final 12 months.
- Its first Neue Klasse mannequin will go on sale within the U.S. later this 12 months.
The BMW Group is going through the wrath of fierce competitors from burgeoning Chinese language automakers, however its electrical automobile enterprise continues to be a shiny 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 report for EV gross sales within the U.S., with almost 51,000 models bought. Its U.S. EV gross sales elevated to 50,981 models from 45,417 models the 12 months earlier than. The i4 and the i5 helped it break that report, consuming into the gross sales of their gas-powered counterparts within the 4 Sequence and 5 Sequence line-ups.
Photograph by: InsideEVs
BMW bought 42,608 4 Sequence fashions in North America in 2024. That features the gas-powered 4 Sequence Coupe, Gran Coupe, Convertible, i4 and the M fashions. The electrical i4 accounted for a whopping 23,403 models of the 4 Sequence within the U.S. alone. That places the share of the i4 within the 4 Sequence line-up at nicely over 50%—an indication that the 4 Sequence is now primarily a battery-powered vary.
The i4 is perhaps cannibalizing 3 Sequence gross sales as nicely. BMW bought solely 31,300 3 Sequence fashions within the U.S. final 12 months, 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 12 months. BMW bought 25,315 5 Sequence 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 bought almost 12,000 EQEs stateside final 12 months. 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 bettering barely by 1%.
Electrification hasn’t been so sort to sedans, barring the Tesla Mannequin 3. The Hyundai Ioniq 6, regardless of being a terrific automobile 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. Basic 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 growing old Cluster Structure (CLAR), a gas-car platform reconfigured for EVs. They give the impression of being 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 stunning, quick, high-tech and high-performance sports activities sedan, precisely what BMW made its bones on and continues to do at this time,” InsideEVs’ Editor-in-Chief Patrick George wrote of the i4 M50 final 12 months.
The primary of BMW’s Neue Klasse fashions, developed on a BEV-native and software-focused platform, will go on sale later this 12 months. So relaxation assured that there’s extra to return from the German automaker; it now has an actual probability to fill the gaps and deal with the shortcomings of its present lineup.
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