Skip to main content

BMW i3 could ‘boost electric vehicle market’

According to Frost & Sullivan, BMW's ibrand could have a halo effect as did the Prius for Toyota. It could boost the market for electric vehicles which has had a slow uptake rate and also position BMW's brand as the most innovative premium OEM. Commenting on the launch of the new BMW i3, the electric supermini for sale in November, Frost & Sullivan said: "BMW is the first of the traditional premium manufacturers to take a leap of faith into the EV space with the i3. Like most car companies, BMW also sells 7
July 31, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
According to Frost & Sullivan, 1731 BMW's ibrand could have a halo effect as did the Prius for 1686 Toyota. It could boost the market for electric vehicles which has had a slow uptake rate and also position BMW's brand as the most innovative premium OEM.

Commenting on the launch of the new BMW i3, the electric supermini for sale in November, Frost & Sullivan said: "BMW is the first of the traditional premium manufacturers to take a leap of faith into the EV space with the i3. Like most car companies, BMW also sells 70 to 80 per cent of its cars to urban customers so used the mega trend of urbanisation to develop a dedicated car brand tailored and tuned to the future urban driver. At an entry price point of £ 25,680, BMW has aggressively priced the i3 for early adopters in the market. The car has a number of industry innovations like it is partially made from Carbon reinforced fibres, it provides vehicle to infrastructure services like and comes with a flexible mobility package which is in line with the market trend to sell ‘mobility’ and not cars.

“Frost & Sullivan believes that the ride will be rough for BMW in the first few years just as it was for Nissan with its Leaf but it will get easier as market starts to accept electric cars. It for sure is the most innovative car of the 21st century so far."

Related Content

  • February 28, 2013
    South Africa launches electric vehicle pilot programme
    South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) has launched a zero emission electric vehicle pilot programme, which would see it trial a fleet of electric vehicles. Speaking at the launch, water and environmental affairs minister Edna Molewa said the multi-stakeholder partnership project would pilot, test and demonstrate the viability of electric vehicles under South African conditions. The pilot programme would also serve to determine end-user, infrastructure and running costs associated with loc
  • September 24, 2013
    Report forecasts major growth in smart parking
    According to new analysis by Frost & Sullivan, Future of Vehicle Parking Management Systems in North America and Europe, growth opportunities are expected to attract new start-ups in the parking industry, providing real-time parking applications. The industry is expected to witness investments and funding from venture capitalist (VC) firms, ranging from US$200-$250 million in the next three to five years. This is made evident through the emergence of companies, such as Streetline (US and Europe), ParkatmyHo
  • May 22, 2012
    Vehicle ownership - a thing of the past?
    Convergence of electron-powered vehicles with connected vehicle technologies could mean that only a few decades from now the idea of owning a vehicle will be entirely alien to the road user. By Technolution chief scientist Dave Marples with Jason Barnes Even when taken individually, many of the developments going on and around vehiclebased mobility will bring about major changes in transportation. Taken collectively, the transformations we might expect are nothing short of profound. Enumeration of the influ
  • November 2, 2017
    Moneybarn: 1,800% increase in UK electric car registrations over five year period
    Nearly 10,000 electric cars are now registered in the UK with Japanese and German manufacturers dominating most popular brands in the UK, according to a five-year analysis on the development of the Electric vehicle industry by Moneybarn. These findings have been revealed following the government’s plan to ban the sale of all petrol and diesel vehicles from 2040.