In 2021, the BMW Group set a record for electric car sales by delivering a total of 103,855 units. At the end of September 2022, the automotive conglomerate had already comfortably surpassed that number by shipping 128,195 vehicles with no combustion engines. Through the first three quarters of the current year, deliveries more than doubled compared to January – September 2021. In this interval, 128,195 EVs were sold, or +114.8% more than in Q1 through Q3 2021.

A closer look at the figures published today shows the core BMW brand sold 99,004 EVs from January 1 to September 30 or a whopping 150.1% more than in the same period of last year. MINI has also had a great year so far in regard to electric cars, shipping 29,191 EVs, representing an increase of 45.2% year-on-year.

The sales chart shows the iX was delivered to 21,604 customers and another 19,422 were i4 models while the iX3 found 35,947 new homes in the first nine months of the year, representing an increase of 72.1%. Combined sales of the i3 and i8 amassed 19,769 units. As for plug-in hybrids, demand was down for both BMW and MINI, with the former shipping 8.8% fewer cars (at 143,928 units) and the latter -21.1% (at 11,161) through September.

The share of electric vehicles in total deliveries for the BMW Group rose from 3.1% to 7.3% through September 2022. An early projection calls for the EV take rate to hit at least 50% by the end of the decade when Rolls-Royce will become an electric-only brand, with MINI to follow suit in the early 2030s.

The future is looking particularly bright for EV sales considering BMW has just launched the iX1. The compact crossover has what it takes to become the automaker’s best-selling product without a combustion engine by indirectly replacing the i3 hatchback. Speaking of which, that moniker is still being used in China for a long-wheelbase 3 Series electric sedan mechanically related to the i4 Gran Coupe.

The i7 fullsize luxury sedan sits at the top of the company’s electric lineup, which is set to expand in 2023 with the i5 serving as an EV equivalent of the next-generation 5 Series Sedan. It is believed an i5 Touring will arrive later this decade as BMW’s first ICE-less wagon.

Source: BMW