For InsideEVs: BMW Gen6 Batteries May Foreshadow Class-Leading EV
At BMW’s 100-year-old factory next to its Munich global headquarters, electric i4 sedans move along the same assembly line as diesel 3 Series wagons, plug-in hybrid 3 Series sedans, and gasoline M3s. For the past few years, this approach was considered to be BMW’s future: a flexible vehicle platform and production line that allows the automaker to tailor which powertrains went into its cars based on market conditions and customer demand.
It’s quite a sight to behold. But producing EVs this way has its limits.
As the electric competition heats up, BMW will move to a dedicated, from-the-ground-up architecture for EVs dubbed “Neue Klasse," or New Class. That name comes from the iconic sport sedans and coupes that built the brand’s whole identity in the 1960s.
