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BMW to focus on electric, green cars: New i8 Roadster, Mini E and electric X3 on way

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Munich -  The BMW Group will focus on electric and hybrid vehicles as the automaker has announced that all its brands and models will be offered with a full-electric or plug-in hybrid drivetrain. 

The focus on green cars will be in addition to its combustion engine options. 

According to BMW: "Additional electrified models will be brought to market in the coming years and be-yond 2020, the company’s next generation vehicle architecture will enable further fully-electric vehicles."

New electric Mini 

The new battery-electric Mini will join the line-up of the automaker's two-door model. The Mini E heads into in 2019 and will be built at the automaker's Oxford factory.


Producing more EVs

The BMW Group has invested more than €100-million in electro-mobility at its Dingolfing factory in Ger-many, with investment continuing as the automaker expands its battery-powered vehicles.

The new, fully-electric Mini is one of a series of electrified models to be launched by the BMW and MINI brands in the coming years.

In 2018, the BMW i8 Roadster will join the automaker's "i" car family. The all-electric X3 has been announced for 2020, and the BMW iNEXT is due in 2021.

Why focus on EVs?

By 2025, BMW believes EVs will account "between 15-25% of sales". BMW says: "Factors such as regu-lation, incentives and charging infrastructure will play a major role in determining the scale of electrifica-tion from market to market.

"In order to react quickly and appropriately to customer demand, the BMW Group has developed a uniquely flexible system across its global production network. In the future, the BMW Group production system will create structures that enable our production facilities to build models with a combustion en-gine, plug-in hybrid or fully electric drive train at the same time."

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