German legacy automaker BMW officially introduced its new Vision Neue Klasse concept car at the IAA Mobility Show in Munich.
“Hello World.
Time to shift perspectives and rethink what “new” really means.
Meet the BMW Vision Neue Klasse. THE NEUE NEW.”
BMW
Notably, the model is part of the company’s effort to beat industry leaders Tesla and BYD. It can also potentially improve its sales and delivery figures in China.
BMW’s Vision Neue Klasse concept details
The Vision Neue Klasse concept is an all-electric sleek coupe demonstrating the brand’s new focus on intelligent features rather than “ultimate driving machines.”
“The design of the Neue Klasse is typically BMW and so progressive it looks like we skipped a model generation.”
BMW Group Design Head
The model apparently has an end-to-end windscreen and innovative software that supports hand gesture features and voice commands, Gulf Business indicated.
This element is primarily aimed at Chinese customers who usually prefer local brands with such technologies.
The model apparently “embodies a clear design language, with expansive surfaces and just a few distinctive lines, that has been pared down to the essentials.”
The Vision Neue Klasse has twin kidney features rather than the traditional twin kidney grilles that now dominate the entire front. It also now has the brand’s iconic double headlights.
In addition, the concept has a “shark nose” front-end, rear windows’ “Hof meister Kink,” low beltline, and 2.5-box silhouette, Asia One noted.
However, the company has yet to announce the final technical details of the new EV concept.
Chinese brands dominate
BYD reportedly overthrew Volkswagen as the country’s most popular brand so far this year. Moreover, Mercedes-Benz implemented a series of price cuts for its flagship model in late 2022 to recover its declining sales.
The recent performance of these non-Chinese brand are alarming, considering that they have been struggling to catch up in the rapidly growing EV industry.
According to the report, the industry expects EVs and PHEVs to account for 90% of the world’s automotive market by 2030. Therefore, brands like BMW, VW, and Mercedes must move fast to ensure their business survival.
BMW’s planned lineup
The German automaker aims to begin production of the Vision Neue Klasse as early as 2025.
Notably, it is only the first model under BMW’s planned six Neue Klasse EVs by 2025 to 2027.
These models will not use a similar platform, Top Gear noted. Nonetheless, they will all share the company’s sixth-gen e-Drive technology.
The e-Drive tech will enable BMW’s next-gen models to have more efficient motors and higher energy density by 20% than the current models. In addition, it will also facilitate a “30% more range, 30% faster charging, and a 25% overall improvement in vehicle efficiency.”
Moreover, the higher trims will offer a driving range of up to 800 km (497 miles). They can also support a charging speed of 10% to 80% below 30 minutes.
Moreover, these models can also enable higher-speed driving than most rivals’ EVs.
“We still believe that we can make a difference in the dynamics of the drivetrain.”
BMW CEO Oliver Zipse
See Also:
- BMW iX e-SUV to service Australian politicians
- BMW i5 photo circulated ahead of the official launch
- BMW previewed the all-new i5 ahead of its official launch on May 24
- BMW expects Electric M vehicles to surpass ICEs And PHEVs by 2028
- BMW to rename its entire vehicle portfolio, filings show
BMW plans to exclusively produce the Neue Klasse models at its new Debrecen factory. It will apparently rely on 100% renewable energy resources.
Meanwhile, it will exhibit the Vision Neue Klasse concept at the IAA Mobility in Munich from September 5 to 10, 2023.
