BMW says they can't mass produce EVs until 2020

[mspohr]

I guess you aren‘t familiar with BMW‘s EV plans?

12 long-range BEVs (see Gen 5 in chart below) are coming plus 13 PHEVs...

They have contracts with large Asian battery (cell) suppliers and there are several companies / consortia working on 150-350 kW charging networks.

Ionity is one of them in Europe. BMW is a member:

IONITY - Wikipedia

First look at Ionity ‘ultra-fast’ charging network map of planned stations

Another one is Electrify America - see maps in the second link.

If you ignore all these developments (not just from
BMW) you will be in for a rude surprise as a TSLA in a few months.

Better late than never. I don't think BMW will be coming out with their Tesla killer in the next few months.
(BTW, I don't have any TSLA or related investments to cloud my judgement.)

 

[davewill]

You guys are funny. After Nissan, BMW has probably been the most proactive of the mainstream automakers to pursue EVs. And 2020 isn't all that far off.

 

[mspohr]

If BMW is the most proactive, it's a sad state of affairs.
We all want to see more EVs. I'm just disappointed that it is taking so long for all of these "Tesla killers" to see the light of day.
Tesla has been making long range EVs for 10 years. BMW says it might have something three years from now (if it's "economic"). This is pathetic. Looking at their EV chart, they have the short range i3 now and a bunch of grey shrouds with no model designations, ranges or battery capacities listed for the next decade. It doesn't give me a lot of confidence.

 

[tftf]

Looking at their EV chart, they have the short range i3 now and a bunch of grey shrouds with no model designations, ranges or battery capacities listed for the next decade. It doesn't give me a lot of confidence.

Sorry, but do you know how long it tales to develop a modern car (even if it’s based on a platform)?

BMW is properly testing their cars - the iX3 is already testing today:

SPIED: BMW iX3 caught winter testing in Scandinavia

BMW iX3 to introduce brand's fifth-generation EV power in 2020 | Autocar

That’s two years ahead of the launch date.

(Unlike Tesla who seems to have rushed the Model3 to market skipping some assembly and other testing steps...we will see how that affects future warranty costs and recalls).

The roadmap for the next three BMW EVs is quite clear:

Mini BEV 2019
iX3 2020
i4 2021

Before 2019 the current i3 will also get another (likely final) battery range update.

9-10 additional long-range BEV models will arrive after that in rapid succession until 2025.

2020 is like tomorrow morning in the car industry.

PS: Also note the 13 or so new PHEVs will have larger batteries allowing for 50+ miles of pure EV range - effectively making them BEVs for daily commuters in 8 or 9 out of 10 use scenarios.

 

[Phrixotrichus]

If BMW is the most proactive, it's a sad state of affairs.
We all want to see more EVs. I'm just disappointed that it is taking so long for all of these "Tesla killers" to see the light of day.
Tesla has been making long range EVs for 10 years. BMW says it might have something three years from now (if it's "economic"). This is pathetic.

Pathetic....right.
Why oh why don`t the classic manufacturers fight to plunge head first into a tiny niche market under heavy losses just for PR reasons instead of just comfortably sitting it out, developing the tech in the background and then joining the market once it actually promises some kind of profit or till they need it to keep their fleets co2 limits under the billion-dollar-fine level. All while constantly raking in the money with the classic tech of course....

Why indeed....
Is it because most companies act based on an economic strategy to create profit rather than "a mission" that bleeds money for years and years?

 

[mspohr]

Sorry, but do you know how long it tales to develop a modern car (even if it’s based on a platform)?

BMW is properly testing their cars - the iX3 is already testing today:

SPIED: BMW iX3 caught winter testing in Scandinavia

BMW iX3 to introduce brand's fifth-generation EV power in 2020 | Autocar

That’s two years ahead of the launch date.

(Unlike Tesla who seems to have rushed the Model3 to market skipping some assembly and other testing steps...we will see how that affects future warranty costs and recalls).

The roadmap for the next three BMW EVs is quite clear:

Mini BEV 2019
iX3 2020
i4 2021

Before 2019 the current i3 will also get another (likely final) battery range update.

9-10 additional long-range BEV models will arrive after that in rapid succession until 2025.

2020 is like tomorrow morning in the car industry.

PS: Also note the 13 or so new PHEVs will have larger batteries allowing for 50+ miles of pure EV range - effectively making them BEVs for daily commuters in 8 or 9 out of 10 use scenarios.

I understand that it takes a long time to develop a modern car. Especially when you are going from ICE to EV and developing a new EV platform and not just converting an ICE with batteries in the trunk.
I just wish that BMW had started earlier. Tesla has been doing this for 10 years. BMW started later and is hoping that they can catch up but they don't seem to have their heart in it. "We'll see if it's "economic" in 2020"... not that convincing.

 

[Brando]

This is why Toyota is moving very slowly as are many other car companies. Some have not started selling any BEVs yet. BMW does sell BEVs, albeit at a loss.

Nobody is making profits by selling electric cars yet. Any press releases to the contrary are misleading.

The companies that can hold back longer will improve their profits the most.

The fact that Mary Barra can keep the GM board happy while dumping billions into advanced propulsion and AV tech is a miracle. You'd think they would have replaced her already.

She bought back over $16 billion in GM stock and sold Opel for $2 billion.
Not aware of "advanced propulsion and AV tech" - got an article to suggest we read?

Didn't GM out source the BOLT drive train to LG Chem?
Does that count as R&D spending??
As Bob Lutz often said building batteries was a really stupid idea, I assume other GM execs. think the same.

 

[McRat]

She bought back over $16 billion in GM stock and sold Opel for $2 billion.
Not aware of "advanced propulsion and AV tech" - got an article to suggest we read?

Pretty much do a search on Mary Barra. Not as sexy or promotional as most CEOs in the auto industry, she is perhaps the most experienced and intelligent when it comes to automobiles. She has what we call 'seat time' and 'horse sense' that most the industry seriously lack. There are CEOs out there who aren't even engineers or run a factory line before. They are glorified accountants and interior decorators.

 

[Brando]

Pretty much do a search on Mary Barra. Not as sexy or promotional as most CEOs in the auto industry, she is perhaps the most experienced and intelligent when it comes to automobiles. She has what we call 'seat time' and 'horse sense' that most the industry seriously lack. There are CEOs out there who aren't even engineers or run a factory line before. They are glorified accountants and interior decorators.

• CEO Mary Barra has transformed General Motors by cutting unprofitable ventures and investing in the future.
• Her focus on efficiency and efficacy has driven the decisions she's made in over 35 years of working at the company.
• Post-bankruptcy, GM has become consistently profitable, built up a healthy balance sheet, and become a leader in electric and autonomous car technology.

"...investing in the future. ...and become a leader in electric and autonomous car technology."
And why would anyone believe this ??

"... leader in electric" Can't even make more than 25,000 BOLT electrics in a year.

Well she is smart enough to import Buick and Cadillac from China. Is that the "investing in the future" part?

The future will unfold. We shall see how it develops. Interesting times.
This GM paper looks interesting - publishing date seems pre 2012 as it mentions Volt production 2012.
Interesting to see what they actually accomplished.
https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2014/03/f8/deer10_stephens.pdf