BMW’s Neue Klasse is apparently providing strong momentum for fully electric vehicle sales. Two million BEVs have been handed over to customers since sales of the very first BMW i3 launched in late 2013.
Including plug-in hybrids, BMW has delivered around 3.5 million electrified vehicles to customers worldwide since 2013. In the first half of 2026, more than one in every four vehicles sold at BMW was electrified.
“Selling two million BEVs underlines how BMW and Mini models are winning over customers worldwide,” says Jochen Goller, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Customer, Brands, Sales.
“In Europe, the positive development has continued since the market launch of the BMW iX3, and we will soon be reaching the milestone of 100,000 new orders. This shows the tremendous importance of the Neue Klasse for the ongoing ramp-up of electromobility at the BMW Group,” he adds.
Steep growth in BEV sales
In the second quarter of 2026, European sales of BEV vehicles climbed steeply as availability of the BMW iX3 increased, with the company recording 38% growth to 81,445 units. In the first half of 2026, fully-electric vehicles accounted for around 28% of total sales on the company’s home continent.
Since the world premiere of the BMW iX3, one in three fully-electric BMW vehicles ordered in Europe has been a BMW iX3. Within the X3 family, one in two vehicles ordered is already a fully electric iX3.
The two-millionth fully-electric vehicle, a BMW i5 M60 xDrive, was produced at Plant Dingolfing and delivered to a customer in Spain. BMW Group Plant Munich began series production of the new BMW i3 in August.
High demand is leading to a steep ramp-up curve at the plant. “The second Neue Klasse model, the BMW i3, is already seeing strong demand since orders opened ahead of its market launch,“ Goller remarked.
Active safety assistance expanded
The launch of the Neue Klasse marks the first time BMW will offer an expanded portfolio of active safety assistance systems as standard across multiple model series. Among them is an exit warning function with active door opening delay, helping to prevent so-called dooring accidents.
The BMW iX3 was the first Neue Klasse production model to feature these technologies, with further models including the BMW i3, BMW X5 and BMW 7 Series to follow.
“The broad rollout of our new active safety functions as standard is based on our ‘Smart, Symbiotic, Safe’ philosophy,” says Dr. Mihiar Ayoubi, Senior Vice President Driving Experience Development at the BMW Group.
“We bring drivers and assistance systems together into a cooperative system that works in harmony. At BMW, active safety functions operate as quiet, intelligent companions in the background, discreet yet highly effective when it matters most in critical situations,” he explains.
Active safety assistance systems support drivers in critical driving, parking and exit scenarios. Analysis of customer-consented data from BMW’s connected vehicle fleet demonstrates that these functions contribute to greater road safety.
In the last month alone, the fleet analyzed in Europe covered 1.6 billion kilometers. Customers were alerted to potential collisions around 8 million times through visual and acoustic warnings. In 243,977 cases, active steering and braking interventions by assistance systems helped prevent a potential collision.
New Exit Warning against ‘dooring accidents’
Dooring accidents occur when the door of a parked vehicle unexpectedly opens into the traffic lane. This is particularly dangerous for cyclists. According to the German Insurance Association, 8% of all bicycle accidents in Berlin in 2024 were related to dooring.
The exit warning has been standard equipment on many BMW models for years and alerts drivers to potential hazards with both audible and visual signals. With the launch of the Neue Klasse, this feature is being expanded as standard to include active door opening delay.
Using side radars, the system continuously monitors the traffic area around the parked vehicle and detects approaching vehicles, bicycles, or other road users. If it detects a collision risk, the electronic door lock delays opening the door until the danger has passed.
With its new generation of driver-assistance systems, BMW is offering more active safety features as standard across all model lines. These systems support safe driving, parking, and exiting the vehicle. “They provide reliable support when needed, while remaining discreet and non-intrusive in the background in everyday driving,” BMW emphasizes.
