Facelift will be presented at the end of May, says CEO Zipse. There were speculations that BMW 5 Series would soon receive a facelift. Now CEO Oliver Zipse confirmed at the Annual General Meeting that sedans and touring “are also offered in an electrified form”.
That should mean that the 5 Series is actually also offered as a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), as assumed. According to rumors, it is a powerful system based on a six-cylinder, the system output should be 388 hp. So far there is the 5 series as a PHEV based on a four-cylinder with a system output of 252 HP with the designation 530e.
In addition, according to Zipse, almost all conventional versions will receive a 48-volt mild hybrid system. That brings up to 9 grams less CO2nd per kilometer. So far there is only the 520d with MHEV system. According to Zipse, the new 5-series version will be presented in just under two weeks, i.e. at the end of May.
In addition, Zipse again opposed the call for softening CO2 targets. BMW stand by the goals for 2020/2021. BMW plans to reduce the CO2 emissions of new European cars by 20 percent compared to the previous year. According to the chart shown by Zipse, this would mean a reduction from around 130 to 104 grams per kilometer.
BMW does not need a scrappage bonus in order to achieve the CO2 targets; the targets are also achieved in this way. In the first quarter, BMW sold almost 14 percent more electrified vehicles worldwide than in the same period last year. In Europe, BMW wants to further increase the share of electrified vehicles (probably PHEVs and electric cars) and reach the 50 percent mark in 2030.
Zipse said of the accusation of the “hybrid lie” (expression of Wirtschaftswoche ), that is, the problem of the rarely charged PHEVs: “The overall balance of plug-in hybrids is correct. And we support our customers in driving environmentally friendly. We have BMW for that eDrive Zones set up.”
Zipse explains these zones as follows: “If one of our new plug-in hybrids enters an environmental zone, electrical mode is automatically activated. 80 cities in Europe are already programmed. More will follow.” In Germany, all cities with environmental zones are apparently already involved.
In general, BMW gives customers the choice between conventional and electrified drives. Zipse cited the X3 as an example, which is available with petrol, diesel, PHEV and electric cars. The same will apply to the upcoming 7 Series, says Zipse.
The BMW i4 will start in 2021 with a “convincing range of up to 600 km according to WLTP”. The iNext was launched in the same year. BMW is also still working on the hydrogen drive, says Zipse.
