BMW volunteers for emissions forum

BMW Australia CEO Marc Werner has revealed to journalists that the prestige importer is taking on an active role in a ministerial forum for vehicle emissions.

While presenting BMW's revised product portfolio for 2016, Werner segued from announcing a hybrid X5, a plug-in 3 Series and an upgraded i3 to a mention of the brand's involvement in a ministerial forum established to carry out a 'whole-of-government' review of vehicle emissions.

"The whole-of-government approach announced by major projects minister Paul Fletcher, and supported by minister for the environment Greg Hunt and minister for resources, energy and Northern Australia, Josh Frydenberg, has seen the establishment of a ministerial forum, supported by a working group to examine issues such as the implementation of Euro 6, fuel quality standards, fuel efficiency measures and emission testing arrangements. I'm happy to say that BMW is part of this group," Werner said.

The issue of fuel quality has been a long-standing thorn in the side for the importer. Developing more efficient engines is being hampered by the local oil industry's tardiness, BMW has said in the past. Some of the ultra-high efficiency engines on the drawing boards of the world's car companies – such as sparkless petrol engines from Benz, GM, Kia and Mazda – are unlikely ever to make it to Australia in production form unless local fuel quality improves and the sulphur content is reduced. In effect the race is on to see which comes first – better fuel quality in Australia, or the sort of whizz-bang battery technology that would make internal-combustion cars redundant.

And certainly BMW isn't just working towards a cleaner, internal-combustion future. Electrification is very much on the agenda as well. The company plans to double the number of national dealers positioned to sell and support the upgraded i3, despite the EV selling as few as 150 units in 2015 – just 14 more than the Nissan LEAF.

According to Werner the "expansion of our BMW dealer i network" will take place during the second half of 2016. It will "at least double" the number of dealers selling and servicing the i3 from the present six.