BMW readying 12 electrified models

BMW will produce 12 different battery-powered models and 25 electrified models by 2025 the German car-maker has announced.

Following on from the success of its i3 electric car first released in 2013, BMW believes the time is right to pursue technologies including new electric vehicles and, eventually, fuel-cell vehicles.

It announced to European reporters on Thursday that it was already beginning to re-tool its factories as such.

"By 2025, we will offer 25 electrified vehicles — 12 will be fully-electric," BMW chief executive Harald Krueger told journalists in Munich, adding that the electric cars would have a range of up to 700km (435 miles).

BMW’s new direction commences with the unveiling of a new four-door electric car at the Frankfurt motor show next week, a vehicle many analysts are calling the i5. Krueger perpetuated the rumours by confirming the model, pictured here under a blue sheet, would be positioned between the i3 and the i8 supercar.

Cross-town rivals Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen will also use the German show to outline their future strategies, while Jaguar Land Rover has today announced fresh plans to electrify every model from 2020.

Like those manufacturers, BMW is obviously taking the change seriously.

"We will be increasing the share of electrified models across all brands and model series. And, yes, that also includes the Rolls-Royce brand and BMW M vehicles," Krueger said.

The company’s development boss Klaus Frohlich also informed reporters of BMW’s intention to put zero-emission fuel-cell technology into production.

“We intend on building a large car with a fuel-cell in 2025," he said. "Fuel-cells will happen, but how relevant they will be to BMW, we don't know yet."

Larger cars including the new X7 SUV, which was leaked this week, are front-runners for fuel-cell technology.