– Check against delivery –
Nicki Shields,
Presenter: Good morning everyone and welcome to the 89th Geneva
International Motor Show and the biggest year yet for BMW with so many
new launches taking place right here, right now.
BMW has millions of fans all over the world, lots watching right now
on social media (hello!) and so we decided that customers and fans
should also have the chance to make their voice heard at the Geneva
International Motor Show. So, under the motto, “Ask the CEO”, online
fans and followers have been asking all sorts of questions regarding
the future of mobility. And who better to answer those questions, (the
clue is in the title), than the CEO himself!
Harald Krüger, Chairman of
the Board of Management of BMW AG:
Hi Nicki. It’s good to see you.
Nicki Shields:
Harald, more than one hundred people posted questions to you and today
we’re going to take a look at some of them. Autonomous driving is
currently one of the defining topics in the auto industry, and Mikkel
would like to know how you will shape the future of autonomous
electric vehicles.
Harald Krüger: We are
working full speed on these future technologies. We already
established an open development platform at our autonomous driving
campus near Munich. Last week, we went one step further.
We announced a cooperation with Daimler for a next generation of
autonomous driving. We both share the view that customer safety is our
absolute top priority.
Nicki Shields: Many
people asked: Are you going to rely entirely on electric cars from now on?
Harald Krüger: Our
future is definitely electric. We are very proud to be the overall
market leader for electrified vehicles in Europe. We will offer
electrified cars in all segments.
The very popular BMW X3 is the first model we will offer with three
different powertrains: plug-in hybrid, fully-electric, and internal combustion.
Nicki Shields: You
have said that you will offer at least 25 electrified models by 2025,
including 12 fully-electric, is that right?
Harald Krüger: Yes,
absolutely. This year, we are really picking up the pace with the MINI
Electric. And for BMW, the iX3 in 2020, then the i4 in 2021, as well
as our new innovation leader, the iNEXT. By the end of next year, we
will have launched more than ten new and upgraded electrified models.
Nicki Shields: Many
of the questions were also about charging infrastructure, including
this one from Milan. So what is BMW doing to support and grow this area?
Harald Krüger: A good
charging infrastructure is essential and we are involved in many
efforts to improve this. One of them is CHARGE NOW. Customers benefit
from access to one of the world’s largest and fastest growing public
charging networks – with over 100,000 charging points in 25 countries.
Nicki Shields: On
that topic: I believe you have some news to share?
Harald Krüger: From
today until the end of the Geneva International Motor Show – CHARGE
NOW customers in Europe can charge
for free.
This is our thank you to those who share our passion and are already
driving electric.
Nicki Shields: Wow,
that’s great news! No charge for charging! Thanks BMW. That’s a real
sign of commitment to electro-mobility. Thank you Harald Krüger!
As we heard, BMW is rolling out many more new electrified models. At
the same time, they are expanding their offer in the high-end segment.
Let’s take a look.
Adrian van Hooydonk,
Senior Vice President BMW
Group Design:
Good morning ladies and gentlemen!
In the past 12 months BMW has launched six new models, more than ever
before in such a brief timeframe. We have launched cars like the new 3
Series, the X5, the Z4 and of course the 8.
With the design of these cars we have completely transformed the look
and feel of the brand. We have made each car stronger in character
while reducing the number of design elements.
The side views are clean, only one key feature line which is sharper
and more precise than ever before. Today here in Geneva, we are
showing the new top end of the BMW brand: The X7 and the new 7! As
such, these cars need to have presence and exquisite design details.
Slim headlamps in LED and laser technology paired with a vertically
oriented grill create a modern and formal presence.
In the rear, we have created very slim and sculptural tail lamps
connected by a chrome strip and in the case of the new 7 that chrome
strip lights up to create a unique night signature for our flagship.
In the interior, we are reducing the amount of switches as our cars
become more intelligent. The user interface in its 7th generation now
allows for more voice and touch input as well as a more personal
configuration by the customer. The hard keys that we do have are
grouped in two islands and executed in beautiful materials like
aluminium and glass.
Of course, the comfort in these vehicles is at the highest level as
is the quality of the leather and the stitching. With the new 7, the
X7 and of course the 8, BMW is raising the bar in terms of modern luxury.
Ladies and gentlemen,
That transformation of BMW towards a luxury tech brand will continue
in 2019. So please stay tuned for more design news throughout the year!
Thank you very much!
Nicki Shields: Thank
you Adrian. The expansion of the luxury and electric vehicle range
continues at the BMW Group. Please welcome Pieter Nota, who will join
to tell us more…
Hi Pieter, it’s good to see you again. One of the questions on social
media fits very well here… Diana asks “How do you ensure to be a
sustainable company while still offering luxury products”?
Pieter Nota, Member of the
Board of Management of BMW AG, Sales and Brand BMW, Aftersales BMW Group:
The new BMW 7 plug-in hybrid is the perfect example that luxury and
sustainability go hand in hand.
I was a first hour BMW ActiveHybrid customer back in 2010. And I’m
delighted that the plug-in hybrid technology has been developed
further and the electrified range is now more than enough for my daily
trips to work and back.
Nicki Shields:
Pieter, many of the questions that were asked online were regarding
hybrid technology… Harald Hohmann asks: “Do you want to push more BMW
fully electric models on the market or will BMW also invest in plug-in hybrids”?
Pieter Nota: We focus
on both fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles to suit various
customer needs. Plug-in hybrids are the perfect solution for people
who want to combine zero local emission driving in the city and longer
trips without having to recharge. They provide a way to quickly
improve air quality in urban areas. Hybrid technology definitely has
its place. Today we are making a clear statement about that.
Now, ladies and gentleman – the world premiere of four new BMW
plug-in hybrid models.
Pieter Nota: Today we
are presenting our fourth generation of plug-in hybrid powertrains,
with high-voltage batteries that allow for up to 80 km fully-electric range.
For the very first time, we are presenting our BMW X3 as a plug-in
hybrid. As we have announced, next year we will launch the
all-electric iX3.
The BMW X3 is one of our best-selling models worldwide and customers
will be able to choose the drive train technology that best suits
their needs. This is what I call a true customer-centric approach!
In addition to these four models, the 2 and 5 Series plug-in hybrids
also have more electric range thanks to the new battery technology.
And there’s great news for 5 Series fans: The BMW 5 Series plug-in
hybrid will soon be available worldwide with BMW xDrive.
Ladies and gentlemen,
With the expansion of our line-up, we will offer customers a plug-in
hybrid in every segment. By the end of this year – we will offer a
total of ten plug-in hybrid vehicles. All of this underlines our deep
commitment to sustainable electric mobility.
Nicki Shields: Pieter
it was great to hear about the progress BMW is making in e-mobility
and to see the new plug-in hybrids.
Let’s not forget, as well as on our roads, BMW is also using its
eDrive technology and know-how in the world of electric motorsport,
with a team in the all-electric Formula E. The car is on display over
on my right, and the team will be racing on the streets of Hong Kong
this weekend – Good luck!
Thank you so much to all the fans for watching and your questions –
all the questions will be answered online after. Thank you everyone
for joining us today – we wish you a very exciting and successful
Geneva International Motor Show!