BMW (BMW.DE) lost its crown as the top seller of luxury vehicles in the United States last year.
The new king is Tesla (TSLA), the maker of premium electric vehicles.
But the German car manufacturer has not said its last word. On the contrary, BMW is now determined to shake up the stranglehold of Tesla and his charismatic Elon Musk on the electric market. Unlike other legacy carmakers, BMW wants to use Musk's style and manner to outwit and challenge competitors who venture out to try to challenge Tesla's reign.
Tesla's Domination 'Is Over'
So the style to start with. The leaders of the German group have recently abandoned the reserve which is theirs to make thundering declarations.
"Tesla had a unique selling point for quite some time," BMW Group sales chief Pieter Nota told reporters during a recent event, according to Automotive News.
He then proclaimed that "That's over."
To convince that behind these remarks, BMW has a strategy, Nota indicated that the carmaker will focus "on a very strong and fast ramp-up of electric vehicles." A strategy that CEO Oliver Zipse has confirmed.
"We will push the company to the limits of production capability. Demand will be surging. We already see that with the iX, with the i4," Zipse said.
Which brings us to the weapons with which BMW plans to fight Tesla. Let's start with the i4, as Zipse talks about it. This electric sedan comes in two trims: i4 M50 with a battery range up to 270 miles for a 536 horsepower and 0 to 60 mph is achieved in 3.5 seconds. The i4 eDrive40 configuration comes with a 335 hp, a battery range of 301 miles and 5.5 seconds in 0 to 60 mph.
The base price is $65,900 for the i4M50 and $55,400 for the i4 eDrive40.
BMW
Tesla doesn't have a luxury sedan at these prices. The Tesla Model S starts at $99,990 but its performance is superior. The base Model S can travel at least 375 miles on one battery charge. This vehicle can also realize 0 to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds.
BMW also has the iX luxury electric SUV, which starts at $83,200. This vehicle challenges Tesla's Model X. The German group reports that the order book for the i4 and iX is full. The order time now is at around six months, Nota told reporters.
BMW
BMW Has a New Electric Flagship
But as if that weren't enough, BMW has just the seventh generation of its luxury sedan BMW 7 Series. The German manufacturer also announced the marketing of an electric variant. A first in the history of this high-end car. Called the BMW i7 xDrive60, this variant featuring the fifth generation of BMW eDrive technology is actually a model in its own right.
Visually, this i7 differs little from the new BMW 7 Series. We find this monolithic look, marked by an impressive grille at the front of the car. A few blue details are specific to the i7. Materialized by a border on the front and rear bumpers as well as a small space on the sills, they recall the electric motorization of this zero-emission 7 Series.
It is really in its foundations that the BMW i7 differs from the 7 Series.
This iteration of the German sedan has two electric motors -- one for each axle-- associated with BMW xDrive all-wheel drive.
Their power is set at 536 horsepower for 549 lb-ft of instantaneous torque, which allows the i7 to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in about 4.5 seconds. The range is up to to 300 miles, according to preliminary BMW AG tests based on the EPA’s test procedure standards, the company said.
The new BMW i7 offers the same features as the 7 Series.
BMW
The dashboard features the BMW curved display double screen and the touchscreen BMW interaction bar.
At the rear, small screens are integrated into the interior of the doors to allow passengers to adjust the four-zone climate control to their liking, while the 31.3-inch BMW theater screen can again be deployed from the roof to create a veritable rolling movie theater.
This vehicle is equipped with the latest BMW innovations in driver assistance systems such as features with level 3 of autonomous driving -- it means the car can make some maneuvers itself, like parking.
The new BMW i7 xDrive60 will go on sale worldwide in November. It's priced at $120,295. Customers can begin to pre-order it now with a $1,500 deposit.
The BMZ i7 xDrive60 directly attacks the Tesla Model S Plaid, whose base price is $135,990. The Plaid has 1,020 horsepower and can travel 396 miles on one battery charge. This vehicle can also realize 0 to 60 mph in 1.99 seconds.
