Overview
- Oliver Zipse said he will hand the CEO role to production chief Milan Nedeljković on May 14 after using BMW’s annual meeting to attack EU tariffs and planned 2035 CO2 rules.
- Zipse argued EU duties on battery-electric cars built in China are among the highest BMW pays and warned customers ultimately foot the bill through higher prices.
- BMW will apply its next-generation “Neue Klasse” tech and design across all future models, targeting more than 40 vehicles using the platform by 2027.
- The roadmap sets 20 battery-electric models by year-end, the first fully electric M car in 2027, and a hydrogen option in 2028 for the next X5, which will offer five powertrains.
- BMW reported record first-quarter order intake with BEV orders up more than 60% year over year, citing over 50,000 iX3 orders since the IAA and a move to two shifts at its Hungary plant to meet demand.