BMW sets sales record in Q1 2017, doubles deliveries of EVs

13 April 2017

BMW Group achieved its highest ever sales volumes for the month of March, at 254,862 units, equating to a 5.9% increase year-on-year. This propelled sales to a record first quarter volume of 587,237 units of the BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brands, up 5.3% on Q1 2016. The company doubled electric vehicle (EV) sales to almost 20,000 units in the first quarter. 

The core BMW brand exceeded the half a million mark for the first time this early in the year, with sales totalling 503,445 units; 5.2% up on the same period last year. ′We’ve achieved a strong start to the year, with our X-family models and the BMW 7 Series being the main growth drivers,’ commented Dr Ian Robertson, member of the BMW AG board of management with responsibility for sales and the BMW brand. The latest BMW 5-Series also enjoyed its first full month of sales in most markets, with 35,000 units delivered to customers. 

Especially noteworthy, however, is the growth in demand for BMW’s electric vehicles, which are offered under the i sub-brand and as iPerformance plug-in hybrid versions of the core model range. Robertson said: ′Our electrified models also continue to show extremely strong growth, with almost 20,000 sold in the first quarter, meaning we’re on track to achieve our target of 100,000 electrified vehicle sales this year.’ 

The healthy growth in demand, especially for electric vehicles, will encourage BMW as it embarks on ′the biggest model offensive the company has ever undertaken‘ and a second wave of electrification. BMW faces increasing competition from the electric aspirations of its key competitors, Volkswagen Group‘s Audi and Daimler‘s Mercedes-Benz.