Quote:
Originally Posted by ted99
Missed the boat for me. I would have bought any of these at the start of the year, but none available (I had a 2014 i3 for 3 years), so I bought the 2020 530e. I'll be trading it in 2022 or 2023 but it won't be for any of these EV's on a modified ICE platform. It will be a dedicated EV on a skateboard platform (yes, the i-Next is this, but it's bigger than I want for my in-town use if it's the rumored size of the X5). I think BMW is too late with these combo ICE/PHEV/EV platforms. Their moment was last year to 2021. Rumor is that M-B is going to discontinue their reworked GLC to EQC EV after 2021 for a dedicated EV platform EQC. There is speculation that M-B now considers the combo platform to have been a mistake. I fear that BMW being late to the game with their combo platforms will hit them badly in cash flow after 2021 and their status as an independent manufacturer is in danger.
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You can't be serious? EV's accounted for 2.6% of global sales in 2019. If BMW converted their entire lineup to EV today I certainly agree their status as independent manufacturer would be in danger as they would be catering to an extremely small minority of buyers. It's not a race to totally convert to EV as automakers are going to have to straddle the line between being able to sell cars today as well as tomorrow. Forums are full of emotional posters which is why we see a lot of posts like above but we are the minority as the masses who look at automobiles strictly as transportation don't really care either way what they drive and will simply purchase the cheapest vehicle that fills their needs. If I was a betting man BMW will probably be one of the last manufacturers standing as there are many manufacturers in much more precarious situations such as Chrysler, GM, Nissan, Mazda, Mitsubishi, any British automaker, etc. I would expect some of them will not be around next decade but I wouldn't worry too much about BMW as they will be fine. The fact that BMW missed the boat for you means absolutely nothing in the big picture.