BMW cars have always been renowned for performance, and now the marque is stressing sustainability credentials too, says Kevin Davidson, Managing Director at BMW Group Ireland.
HOW IS YOUR SUPPLY LINE OF NEW VEHICLES
The higher cost of fuels has encouraged drivers to consider making the switch to electrified plug-in hybrid or fully electric cars, so demand has outweighed supply.
We are looking forward to 2023 where we will have eight fully electric cars on sale in Ireland, plus 11 plug-in hybrid models, including our new flagship BMW i7, iX1 and BMW XM and 7 Series 750e xDrive plug-in hybrids.
HOW IS BMW POSITIONED IN THE HYBRID AND ELECTRIC VEHICLE SEGMENTS?
BMW and MINI are leading in electrified in the premium segment in 2022. Close to 50% of our sales are a combination of fully electric and plug-in hybrid models, and we expect this trend to continue. At a global level, by 2030 at least half of the BMW Group's vehicle deliveries are set to be fully electric cars.
WHAT TRENDS HAVE YOU NOTED ABOUT CAR BUYER PREFERENCES?
Sustainability is more than just driving electric. We firmly believe that the future of our planet demands a circular economy, and this means modifying the design process, using resources in a highly efficient manner, and closing material loops.
We aim to increase the proportion of secondary material in our vehicles from almost 30% today to up to 50% going forward, in keeping with the motto ‘Secondary First’.
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WHAT WAS BMW’S MOST POPULAR MODEL IN 2022?
The BMW 5 Series, which has an enduring connection with customers in Ireland. It comes in a variety of drivetrains and we will welcome the first fully electric i5 soon. For MINI, our most popular model has been the MINI Hatch, which provides customers with lots of choice and is competitively priced from €30,365.
WHICH EXECUTIVE MODEL DO YOU RECOMMEND?
Ove the past year I have been lucky to drive the BMW iX, a vision of the future. With its trailblazing design and an interior devoted to luxurious spaciousness, the BMW iX embodies a fresh new take on an executive car.
The BMW iX xDrive50 comes with a range of up to 630km (WLTP), and what is more outstanding is the high proportion of secondary aluminium and reused plastic that contribute to minimising the natural resources in its production.
Inside the iX, FSC-certified wood, leather tanned with olive leaf extracts, and other natural materials are used. Both the vehicle itself and the battery cells are manufactured using green power, and the BMW Group procures the cobalt and lithium required for the high-voltage batteries from controlled sources as well. [CLCUI1]
WHAT NEW MODELS ARE ON THE WAY FROM BMW IN 2023?
We will welcome three new electric models, including the flagship fully electric BMW i7, the mid-sized SUV BMW iX1, which will come in electric, plug-in hybrid, petrol and diesel, plus the sporty plug-in hybrid BMW XM.
WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ON CAR BUYER SENTIMENT?
We are expecting the new car market to grow in 2023 because Ireland has a strong economy and labour market. In an unpredictable market, maintaining government incentives around electric vehicles will help the transition to electric vehicle driving and meet our targets by 2030 to have one million EVs on the road.
Pix: CONOR McCABE
