BMW doubles fully electric BEV sales with over 120,000 BMW & Mini’s sold

The BMW Group has just revealed it sold double the amount of fully electric BEVs compared to last year, a total of 128,196 fully electric vehicles of the BMW and Mini brands in just three quarters.

Despite the fact that UK car manufacturing had fallen by a fifth in the first six months of 2022, it seems there is light at the end of the tunnel for the industry amid the boost in BEVs.

Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reveal that demand for pure battery electric vehicles (BEVs) increased by 56% from January to June 2022, compared to the year before.

David Lewis, Head of Electric Vehicles & Energy, at Select Car Leasing, says “an increasing number of lease customers are making the jump to electric cars and vans. Overall, EV sales now account for around a quarter of all vehicle sales at Select. Plug-in hybrids account for another 8%.

“With new players now coming to the market, particularly from China, with aggressive pricing models, the German manufacturers are having to take notice. For example, the base model ID.3 hatchback from Volkswagen costs £33,995, whereas the similar sized Chinese-made MG4 from MG starts at just £25,995. Customers can still get bang for their buck and this is keeping sales buoyant.

“There’s also a realisation that you can save a lot of money on fuel by going electric, despite the turmoil in the energy markets. Charging an EV at home on the capped government Energy Price Guarantee results in a cost per mile of around 10p compared to roughly 20p in a petrol or diesel vehicle.

“When you factor in all the elements – low inflation-proof monthly payments, driving a brand new EV with the latest tech, fuel savings, and keeping the air we breathe clean – it’s no wonder customers continue to lease electric vehicles at a high rate.”