Some new info from BMWBlog.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by BMWBlog
Just a few days ago, BMW announced the Neue Klasse, which was aid to be electrified but also offer space for internal combustion. It all left fans scratching their heads at the seemingly contradictory announcements.
However, BMW CEO Oliver Zipse recently offered some clarification. The new Neue Klasse of vehicles will be entirely electrified but there will still be the potential for plug-in hybrids with gasoline engines. It will be set up so that the rear axle of all Neue Klasse vehicles is electric. So regardless of whether or not the car is an EV, hybrid, rear-wheel drive, or all-wheel drive, the back axle will only be powered by an electric motor.
There will be certain vehicles that offer gasoline engines up front, likely only small turbocharged four-cylinders, to help power the front wheels, thus creating a hybrid. According to Zipse, the reason for offering hybrids is that many markets around the world lack the ability to use pure EVs. He cited the United States as one such market, where states in the middle of the country lack the charging infrastructure to accommodate pure EVs. BMW also hasn't ruled out hydrogen fuel cell power for the Neue Klasse, either.
|