Speech Oliver Zipse, BMW Group Press Conference at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2019

Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning and a very warm welcome!

Thank you for joining us, it’s a great pleasure to be here.

Also a big “hello” to everyone watching on livestream.

At the BMW Group, we are always looking ahead, thinking about the next generations. What concerns the next generation most is climate change. Therefore, it also concerns us at the BMW Group. That’s why we are clearly committed to the Paris Agreement and the UN Global Compact since 2001.

We are focusing on the question: Which technologies have the greatest leverage to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions? This applies to the automotive industry, but also to all other industries with a CO₂ footprint. For us, it’s about having a real effect or as we would say in German, „Wirksamkeit“. And that means on the basis of scientific knowledge and technical data. The deciding factor is the actual contribution to climate protection.

A product can only be purposeful if a customer wants it, desires it, and uses it. Hence, we are focusing on: What will our customers – who are all citizens of this planet – want in the future? What kind of drivetrains, technologies and services?

And how do we achieve, at the same time, the best result for climate protection?

Here, at our stand, you will see a wide range of options for our customers, because we believe in the power of choice – not only today, but also tomorrow.

Now, let’s take a look at electric mobility: How will demand for purely electric vehicles develop in the next decade in the major world regions? It will remain mixed, for quite some time, due to the differences in infrastructure, driving distances and political frameworks. Moreover, we expect substantial growth in the premium segment up to 2030.

The BMW Group is a global company, and we are able to offer all possible drivetrains, on flexible and, also in some cases, on purpose-built architectures.

That means:

• Conventional engines with benchmark performance in emissions

• Fully-electric and plug-in hybrids

• And in the future, also fuel-cell vehicles. 

Our flexibility enables us to fulfil all customer needs and be truly customer-centric. This puts us in a very strong strategic position to tackle at the same time the challenges of future mobility and climate change.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are already right at the forefront of electro-mobility.

For example:

Here in Germany, no other car company has sold more electrified cars in 2019 than the BMW Group. And in Norway, three out of every four BMW Group vehicles sold are electric vehicles. Therefore, we are certain: In two years’ time, we will have sold over one million electrified vehicles.

Most importantly, for us, sustainability starts way before customer interaction takes place. Our strength at the BMW Group has always been how we manage the entire value chain.

Take the BMW iX3, with our fifth generation e-drive system:

• We will not use any rare earths in the eDrive.

• Our cobalt is purchased directly from mines in Australia and Morocco.

• And our electricity in production is mostly covered by renewable energy sources. In Europe our production is already carbon neutral.

Electric vehicles can only make a real contribution to climate protection when the entire value chain is sustainable.

As we have announced earlier, by 2023, we will have 25 electrified models in our portfolio. Half of those will be fully electric. Alongside fully electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids are an effective way to reduce emissions sustainably. They are the perfect solution for customers who want to drive emission-free in cities, and want to have ease of mind for longer trips. Fuel cell technology could also be a real solution for long distances in the future, and of course, we are working on this intensively. In 2022, we will be launching a fleet of fuel cell vehicles.

Here, at our stand, you can see the BMW i Hydrogen NEXT Development Vehicle. We expect to see an increase in demand for this technology in the second half of the next decade. And we will be ready with an offer for our customers, should they request it.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

With us, innovative technology has always been coupled with emotional design.

Both of these vision vehicles, the iNEXT and M NEXT perfectly embody this principle. Moreover, today, we are delighted to present the world premiere of a new design highlight. And now I would like to ask Adrian van Hooydonk, our Head of BMW Group Design, to tell you more about that. Thank you.

Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design:

Presentation of the BMW Concept 4.

Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

These Concepts show the innovative strength of the BMW Group in technologies, in design and in flexibility. The concept for the new 4 series, here, will also be the basis for the future BMW i4, which will be available starting in 2021. The BMW i4 will offer customers the joy of our sporty DNA, combined with pure electric power. Because we believe in the power of choice: Diverse drivetrains, for diverse customers, all over the world.

The BMW Group is a great company, with strong and fascinating brands. And I am very proud to lead this outstanding team. We are a responsible corporate citizen. And we are very clear about how we are moving forward. Furthermore, we will continue to inspire our customers over the next generations with solutions that are customer-centric, effective and purposeful. For us, this is the NEXT GEN.

Thank you for coming. And thank you to everyone watching online.