While the new all-electric BMW iX and i4 are about to arrive at Canadian dealerships, the German automaker is already looking ahead to the next stage of its electrification plan. This is expected to begin around 2025 with an all-new platform called “Neue Klasse” and a sixth-generation electric powertrain (eDrive 6).
The platform, named after an important BMW sedan family from the 1960s and 1970s, will be used for a variety of configurations ranging from small cars to large utility vehicles. In fact, all of the company’s new electric models to be released by the middle of the decade will be based on it.
According to the British website Autocar, the first vehicle to come out of this is a compact sedan to accompany the next generation of the popular 3 Series. BMW will sell gasoline and electric versions side by side to give consumers a choice.
In addition to the eDrive 6 technology, the technical details of which are not yet known but which will be available in two- or four-wheel drive, the Neue Klasse vehicles will employ a lightweight structure with a mix of sustainable materials, batteries that offer long range and fast recharging (with an 800-volt architecture similar to the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT) and a fully configurable digital operating system.
BMW’s head of research and development, Frank Weber, explained that the new platform will not only accommodate electric vehicles, but also plug-in hybrids – more sophisticated than the 330e we know, for example. It could even support a fuel cell engine, if necessary.
At the same time, BMW will gradually abandon its FAAR and CLAR platforms currently used in its range. The idea is to achieve greater economies of scale and make assembly plants even more flexible.
Weber also hinted that the design will be even more distinctive and the interior space will be increased, taking full advantage of the 100% electric drivetrain. The i Vision Circular concept (pictured above) from the last Munich Auto Show is probably a small preview. And performance enthusiasts have nothing to fear, as M versions will inevitably be part of the plan.
