BMW Chief Executive Oliver Zipse assured the auto industry that the premium automaker would not forsake its more affordable market, as per InsideEVs.
“We are not leaving the lower market segment. Even if you consider yourself a premium manufacturer, it is wrong to leave the lower market segment – that will be the core of your business in the future,” Zipse stated as he spoke at a Berlin event by automotive supplier Robert Bosch GmbH.
BMW’s current car prices
Its least expensive model currently on sale, the 2 Series Gran Coupe, costs $36,600. It does not end there, as it will eventually cost $40,000 after sales tax and dealership markups.
That said, the remarks made by CEO Zipse are absolutely striking. To think of it, BMW does not truly have a “lower market segment”, particularly this year.
On the other hand, its most affordable electric vehicle is the i4 eDrive35 at $51,400 (MSRP).
Before being withdrawn this year, the i3 was the company’s cheapest offering at $44,450.
Is the BMW CEO hinting at more Mini models?
Considering these facts, CEO Zipse must be alluding to the company’s subsidiary brand Mini.
In 2021, the Mini Cooper Electric could be purchased for slightly more than $25,000 when it was eligible for the full $7,500 tax credit and before a recent price increase.
Unfortunately, buyers need to spend at least $34,225 to purchase one now, as manufacturing is done in China, which is against the new EV tax credit standards.
Nonetheless, CEO Zipse may be implying the release of new Mini models. It is worth noting that a completely electric Countryman is coming since Mini plans to have an all-electric lineup by 2030.
