BMW leads the German EV charge

In 2024, BMW reportedly sold 368,475 electrified vehicles worldwide, which adds up to more than its two biggest rivals, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. It’s an impressive feat, especially considering that BMW’s EV sales only ramped up in earnest a few years ago after it launched the i3 to much fanfare.

We should also point out that this is the BMW brand, not the BMW Group, so Rolls-Royce and MINI are not included in these numbers. Even if they were, neither of those nameplates would contribute much to overall EV sales in 2024, as MINI is just beginning its electrified journey, and Rolls-Royce is a hyper-premium brand with a focused purchaser in mind.

How many more EVs did BMW sell than Audi and Mercedes-Benz?

Audi sold over 164,000 EVs in 2024, while Mercedes-Benz sold 185,059, meaning both automakers combined sold between 349,060 and 350,058. Audi only notes that it sold “over” 164,000, so actual sales could be between 164,001 and 164,099. This means BMW sold at least 18,417 more EVs than Audi and Mercedes-Benz combined last year. Overall EV sales were up 13.5 percent for BMW in 2024, while Mercedes-Benz and Audi EV sales declined 23 percent and eight percent, respectively.

BMW Group performance, by the numbers

BMW’s two other brands, MINI and Rolls-Royce, also saw impressive upticks in EV sales. MINI sold 56,171 EVs in 2024, up 24.3 percent year over year. Rolls-Royce sold an impressive 1,890 Spectre EVs, its only electrified offering, which saw 326 sales in 2023. BMW’s overall sales were down year over year, though. It sold just shy of 2.5 million cars in 2024, a four percent decrease from 2023. Its overall EV sales were 17.4 percent of its total sales, which aligns BMW Group with the trend in EV sales where nearly one in five new cars sold is an EV.

The i4, BMW’s electrified sedan, comprised nearly half of all 4-Series sales in North America for 2024. This figure matters because BMW wants its overall EV sales share to be at 50 percent by 2030, and the 4-Series is a cornerstone for BMW. This suggests buyers will respond positively as BMW continues to electrify its lineup.

What’s next for BMW?

There are a few things to keep in mind regarding BMW’s EV sales. First, the company is embarking on what Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, calls “the biggest future-focused project in the history of our company,” namely its NEUE KLASSE lineup. NEUE KLASSE is a rethinking of BMW’s sedan and SUV platforms as it charges into electrification. It has wholly new battery technology and a fresh platform that reimagines what the “ultimate driving machine” looks like when fully electrified. Second, BMW has yet to introduce the world to its iX3, the electrified version of its insanely popular X3 SUV.

Final thoughts

A lot hinges on NEUE KLASSE, and it seems BMW took its time and put in the work to get the platform right. From what we’ve seen, the next iteration of BMW should continue to put distance between it and other premium EV automakers. We’ll know later this year when BMW’s first NEUE KLASSE vehicle launches, but until then, the German automaker can revel in its increased sales when compared to its hometown competitors.