BMW’s electrification plan ahead of schedule as it teases new hybrid supercar

BMW has announced that it is bringing forward its plan to have 25 electrified models in its line-up by two years.

The German car manufacturer says more than half of those models will be fully electric and will enter production by 2023.

In 2021, BMW says sales of its electrified models should be double what they are in 2019, with a “steep growth curve” towards 2025 that will see sales increase by about 30 per cent per year.

The announcement came during BMW’s NextGen conference, where it outlined its future mobility plans, including the reveal of a concept for what could be considered the spiritual successor to the iconic M1 supercar.

This concept, dubbed BMW Vision M Next, previews a 592bhp petrol-electric plug-in hybrid powertrain that’s likely to also power less powerful, more mainstream models in the future.

Autocar reports that BMW’s head of development Klaus Frohlich all-but-confirmed that a production version would appear in the next few years, saying: “We deliver on what we promise.”

In concept form, the supercar has a top speed of 186mph and can complete the 0-60mph sprint in less than three seconds, while its electric-only range is 62 miles — more than double of that in the firm’s current i8 flagship hybrid.

Adrian van Hooydonk, senior vice president of BMW Group Design, said: “The BMW Vision M Next provides a glimpse into the future of sporty driving.

“Where the BMW Vision iNext illustrated how autonomous driving is set to transform life on board our vehicles, the BMW Vision M Next demonstrates how state-of-the-art technology can also make the experience of driving yourself purer and more emotionally engaging. In both models, the focus is firmly on the people inside.”

The event also saw the debut of the BMW Motorrad Vision DC Roadster, an all-electric concept motorbike. It has been designed to echo the traditional design of BMW bikes, though with a longitudinally mounted battery pack sits where the engine normally would.

BMW also took the opportunity to show an all-electric version of its 5 Series executive saloon, designed to “explore what is technically possible” from electric propulsion. It uses three electric motors that produce a combined 710bhp — though it hasn’t been confirmed if such a car will be heading into production.