BMW outsold its two main competitors, Audi and Mercedes-Benz, in the EV segment last year. Here’s how.
Leading the German EV charge is BMW
According to reports, BMW sold 368,475 electric cars globally in 2024—more than its two main competitors, Mercedes-Benz and Audi. It’s quite an accomplishment, especially in light of the fact that BMW’s EV sales only really took off a few years ago following the i3’s highly publicized launch.
Additionally, Rolls-Royce and MINI are not included in these figures because this is the BMW brand and not the BMW Group. Even if they were, neither of those names would have a significant impact on 2024 EV sales overall because Rolls-Royce is a hyper-premium brand with a targeted consumer base, and MINI is only starting its electric journey.
How many more electric vehicles did BMW sell than Mercedes-Benz and Audi?
Combined, Mercedes-Benz and Audi sold between 349,060 and 350,058 EVs in 2024, with Mercedes-Benz selling 185,059 and Audi selling over 164,000. Since Audi only reports selling “over” 164,000, actual sales may have ranged from 164,001 to 164,099. This indicates that last year, BMW sold at least 18,417 more EVs than Audi and Mercedes-Benz combined. In 2024, BMW’s overall EV sales increased by 13.5%, whereas Mercedes-Benz and Audi saw declines of 23% and 8%, respectively.
BMW Group performance
According to the figures, EV sales at BMW’s two other brands, MINI and Rolls-Royce, also increased impressively. In 2024, MINI sold 56,171 EVs, a 24.3 percent increase from the previous year. Rolls-Royce’s sole electric vehicle, the Spectre EV, saw 326 sales in 2023, with an impressive 1,890 sold. However, BMW’s overall sales decreased from the previous year. In 2024, it sold just under 2.5 million vehicles, a 4% drop from 2023. With 17.4% of its total sales coming from EVs, BMW Group is in line with the trend of almost one in five new cars sold being EVs.
In 2024, almost half of all 4-Series sales in North America were of BMW’s electrified sedan, the i4. This number is significant because the 4-Series is a key component of BMW’s strategy to reach a 50% overall EV sales share by 2030. This implies that consumers will react favorably to BMW’s ongoing lineup electrification.
What will happen to BMW next?
Regarding BMW’s EV sales, there are a few things to consider. First, the business is starting what BMW AG Chairman of the Board of Management Oliver Zipse refers to as “the biggest future-focused project in the history of our company,” which is the NEUE KLASSE lineup. BMW’s sedan and SUV platforms are being rethought with the NEUE KLASSE as it pushes toward electrification. With its brand-new platform and completely new battery technology, it reimagines what the “ultimate driving machine” will look like when it is completely electrified. Second, the electrified version of BMW’s wildly popular X3 SUV, the iX3, has not yet been released to the public.
Final thoughts
NEUE KLASSE is crucial, and it appears BMW took its time and worked hard to ensure the platform was perfect. Based on our observations, BMW’s next generation should keep separating itself from other high-end EV manufacturers. BMW’s first NEUE KLASSE car won’t be available until later this year, but in the meantime, the German automaker can celebrate higher sales than its domestic rivals.
Leave a Comment