Latest news with #i5
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
News analysis: How the EV competition between BMW and Mercedes will evolve
BMW and Mercedes-Benz are pursuing radically different electrification strategies as they prepare for major launches this year. BMW will introduce its Neue Klasse family of battery-electric vehicles while Mercedes prepares to launch its new-generation CLA. But which automaker will win in the battle for more EV market share? Looking at the sales figures alone, BMW is clearly ahead. In 2024, sales of BMW's full-electric vehicles grew 12 percent as the automaker benefited from demand for its new i5 and i7 models and adopted a 'power of choice' strategy, offering its bestselling cars with a choice of combustion, plug-in hybrid and full-electric powertrains to ensure broad customer appeal. Meanwhile, Mercedes' BEV sales plummeted 23 percent last year, including a 7 percent dip in China, its largest market, following a notable shift there to domestic rivals. Mercedes was also slowly introducing its new modular MMA architecture, meaning a temporary gap in the launch of new BEVs. A similar story continues so far this year. BMW sold 109,513 BEV in the first quarter, an increase of 32 percent compared with the same period in 2024. In contrast, Mercedes' BEV sales fell 14 percent in the quarter, down to 40,706 units. During the same time period, Tesla's global sales dropped 13 percent to 336,681. That means BMW sold 2.7 times more BEVs than Mercedes during the quarter and its full-electric car sales were also almost a third of Tesla's, according to a May 15 research report by Bernstein Research. 'BMW is already the clear leader in BEV sales among its legacy auto manufacturer peers,' the report said. However, Pedro Pacheco, vice president of research at consultancy Gartner, said it's not all about sales. While BMW is selling more BEVs than Mercedes, there is no available data defining each automaker's level of profitability, Pacheco said. Sign up for the Automotive News Europe Interview of the Month newsletter delivering exclusive interviews with top auto executives. Ferdinand Dudenhöffer, director of the Center Automotive Research (CAR) in Bochum, Germany, said the new cars have not yet shown how they perform in customers' hands. BMW's Neue Klasse range has benefited from the biggest investment in the company's history. The Neue Klasse range launches with the iX3 SUV. Series production will begin at the automakers's new plant in Debrecen, Hungary, in November, with first vehicle deliveries expected before the end of this year. Between now and 2027, BMW will launch more than 40 new or updated models – from BEVs to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to models with combustion engines. 'Each will have the DNA of the Neue Klasse,' BMW CEO Oliver Zipse said on March 14. By the end of 2025, the company aims to have more than 2 million BEVs on the road. Meanwhile, Mercedes plans to start customer deliveries of the new CLA BEV in July. The automaker is positioning the all-new CLA as a cornerstone of its next-generation electrification strategy. The CLA is the first model built on Mercedes new MMA architecture, which is designed to accommodate both BEVs and hybrids. Originally, Mercedes hoped to transition to selling only BEVs by 2030, but slower-than-expected market adoption pushed it to plan for BEVs and PHEVs to make up about 50 percent of its global sales by 2030. 'We have to realize that the speed of adoption, the speed of the transformation, it's almost impossible to foresee how long it will take,' Mercedes CEO Ola Kallenius said last month. Essentially, Mercedes is pursuing a luxury strategy for the premium segment. After initially pursuing a more dedicated approach in terms of platforms, it is backing away from this approach to share vehicle platforms among ICEs, hybrids and EVs, Gartner's Pacheco said. BMW, meanwhile, is doing the opposite. After starting with a shared platform and achieving sufficient volume, it's now switching to a dedicated platform with a broader product portfolio, Pacheco said. 'The Neue Klasse seems to be a significant change in terms of platform design from the past, so maybe there is more potential there. Mercedes seems to be adopting a more cautious approach while BMW seems willing to try out more new things,' Pacheco said. Frank Schwope, a car-industry expert at the University of Applied Sciences for Small and Medium Enterprises in Hanover, Germany, credits BMW's commercial success with BEVs to its flexibility, its openness toward new technology and its recognition that customers prefer electrified versions of the combustion vehicles they already know. Going forward, BMW's ability to 'flexibly respond to customer demand' will remain essential, Marc-Rene Tonn, senior analyst at Warburg Research, said. 'While the path to BEVs remains intact, speed may vary on the path and there may be differences in adoption on a regional basis. Thus, being able to cater to customer choices, which are not easy to project, will be key,' Tonn said. 'Fulfilling customers' demands regarding digitalization, connectivity, range and pricing is of course important, too.' In contrast, the design of Mercedes' EQE and EQS models has faced criticism. 'Mercedes' electric-only strategy has been discarded,' Schwope said. 'In addition, the design of the electric cars was not well received by many interested parties. The group is changing both. Kallenius should question himself.' Despite their differing approaches, both BMW and Mercedes share a common enemy: fierce competition in China. 'China will define which of the two will be the winner,' Dudenhöffer predicted. 'China is the most interesting market for them. But the pressure there is the strongest.' So, how can the German premium automakers better compete in China? Firstly, they need to become more cost-effective. 'Price will be really decisive in China,' Dudenhöffer said. The next two to three years will prove pivotal, Stefan Bratzel, director of the Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany-based Center of Automotive Management (CAM) said. Firstly, BMW and Mercedes should try not to lose too much market share in China, even if that costs them money. The two also need to speed up their development processes and invest heavily in technology to compete with their Chinese rivals in terms of innovation, which is becoming increasingly difficult as the Chinese are so fast, Bratzel added. At the same time, he also believes they need to cut costs. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Gizmodo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Gizmodo
This Lenovo IdeaPad 15.6″ 512GB Is Just $549, Down From $1849 on Amazon (70% Off)
This is a rare chance to grab a high-quality Lenovo laptop well below $1,000. Lenovo is a brand synonymous with reliability in the world of computers, and it's rare to find one of their laptops priced under $1,000. Which is why the Lenovo IdeaPad 15.6″ touchscreen laptop deal currently available on Amazon is the genuine deal: This high-performance 512GB storage laptop can be had for just $549 which is a staggering 70% off its regular price of $1,849. Those with the need for even more storage can choose the one that includes a 1TB SSD, also discounted to $599 from $1,949, which makes both options fantastic bargains. See at Amazon Best in Class Touchscreen Laptop This Lenovo IdeaPad 15.6″ laptop is designed for people who demand the best combination of performance and versatility. The laptop is powered by the 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1235U processor which features 10 cores and 12 threads. You get to enjoy great speed and response whether you are performing demanding productivity, multitasking or even light creative work. The 15.6-inch touch screen Full HD display delivers a sharp 1920×1080 resolution with IPS technology and features rich colors and broad viewing angles. The anti-glare coating ensures its usability in sunny environments while the integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics enable silky smooth graphics for everyday use and multimedia streaming. Streaming videos, image editing and web surfing, the display quality improves your overall experience. 16GB DDR4 RAM means multitasking is effortless and allows you to switch between programs with ease. The 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD provides fast bootup times and quick access to your files and the option to upgrade to a 1TB SSD (for $50 more) means even more room for those who need it. This memory and storage give the laptop responsiveness and zip, even under heavier loads. There are connectivity options galore with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 providing fast and consistent wireless connectivity. It has a variety of ports such as USB 2.0, USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB-C 3.2 Gen 1, HDMI, and headphone/microphone combination jack, all of which provide easy connectivity to any number of peripherals and external monitors. With Windows 11 Professional in S mode, this Lenovo IdeaPad has a clean and secure operating system that's performance-tuned and accessible. The Abyss Blue finish adds a touch of personality to the portable and light design and makes this laptop ideal for students and business professionals. If you've been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your laptop or need a reliable machine for work or entertainment, this Lenovo IdeaPad 15.6″ laptop deal is not to be missed. It's a smart choice if you're looking to combine performance with affordability. See at Amazon
Edmunds
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Edmunds
2025 BMW M5 vs. BMW i5 M60: Which 5 Series Is Truly Best?
On our 200-foot lateral skidpad, the M5 pulled 1.02 g, while the i5 managed 0.95 g on its EV-minded tires. The only place the M5 trails its electric sibling is in our 60-0 mph braking test. The i5 hauled itself to a stop in 104 feet; the M5 needed 118 feet. That raised a few eyebrows, and a little investigation revealed every single one of the M5's Hankook Ventus S1 Evo Z tires were scrubbed down to the wear bars when the car came in for testing. Hopefully we'll be able to retest the M5 on fresh rubber, as the results will likely be more impressive. For now, anyway, the M5's numbers carry a small asterisk. But numbers don't tell the full story. Driving the cars back to back, the M5 is in a totally different league in terms of acceleration, grip and braking. While running in tandem on a great road, the M5 was able to pull away much quicker than the i5. The M5 could also attack corners with much more confidence while carrying more speed. The i5 is quick, to be sure, but it's limited by its low-rolling-resistance EV-friendly tires, as well as brakes that aren't nearly as thermally capable as the M5's carbon-ceramic setup. All this means you can push the M5 harder for longer, while the i5 succumbs to fade.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
BMW Group's First Quarter Earnings Show EV Sales Are Booming
BMW earnings often bring mixed results, but not this year. In the first three months of 2025, BMW reports that sales of electric vehicles are up 26.4 percent, and overall sales are up 3.7 percent. MINI is also up 9.5 percent. These numbers are for Q1 2025, and the percentage gains are calculated by comparing sales to the first quarter of 2024. The numbers are striking for a few reasons, not least that the first quarter is often a slow time for the auto industry and the economy in general. As people recover from holiday shopping, large purchases often take a backseat. Maybe people didn't get the BMW i4 M50 they expected to see under the tree last Christmas. Buoyed by i4 sales, BMW sold 13,538 electrified cars in Q1 2025 compared to 9,713 sold in the first quarter of last year. The i5, a relatively recent addition to BMW's stable of EVs, sold 1,899 units this year. The i4, a punchy little four-door sedan best experienced in an M variant, sold 7,125 cars, leading all EV sales for BMW by a wide margin. The iX, BMW's first foray into electrified SUVs, sold 3,626 units, while the luxurious and stately i7 found 888 new owners. Though BMW sold more EVs this year, not all vehicles sold better. i5 sales dipped 15.2 percent (BMW sold 239 i5s in Q1 2024) and the i7 fell 10.4 percent (991 sold in Q1 2024). For the i7, this isn't alarming, as the current version is a bit long in the tooth, and the market for a six-figure electrified sedan is small anyway. The fact that i5 sales are down may hint at waning interest, though. The iX sold 23.1 percent better in 2025, and the i4 is selling 57 percent better this year. The 4 Series has always been a sleeper hit for BMW, and the i4 suggests buyers are interested in smaller, sportier EVs. Last year, the i4 accounted for half of all 4 Series sales in the US. MINI's big success in 2025 is driven by bigger vehicles. BMW didn't break down MINI sales figures by model, but it did say that the brand sold 6,976 vehicles so far this year compared to 6,369 in the first quarter of 2024, which equates to a 9.5 percent uptick. The new MINI Countryman, a small SUV that's massive by MINI standards, has reached dealerships and is contributing to sales. It's the largest MINI to date and undoubtedly garners attention from small SUV buyers who want something fun without sacrificing quality. The Cooper, a return to MINI's heart and soul of small, sporty two-door cars, is also available in dealerships. The elephant in the room is that BMW has yet to electrify its core SUVs in the United States. When—not if—that happens, expect sales of BMW EVs to skyrocket. If BMW times vehicle launches properly and can find enough lithium to electrify its cars en masse, we could be reporting on 100 percent or more growth in BMW EV sales in 2026 when its next-gen battery and Neue Klasse vehicle platforms are ready to roll (pun intended).
Miami Herald
05-04-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
BMW Group's First Quarter Earnings Show EV Sales Are Booming
BMW earnings often bring mixed results, but not this year. In the first three months of 2025, BMW reports that sales of electric vehicles are up 26.4 percent, and overall sales are up 3.7 percent. MINI is also up 9.5 percent. These numbers are for Q1 2025, and the percentage gains are calculated by comparing sales to the first quarter of 2024. The numbers are striking for a few reasons, not least that the first quarter is often a slow time for the auto industry and the economy in general. As people recover from holiday shopping, large purchases often take a backseat. Maybe people didn't get the BMW i4 M50 they expected to see under the tree last Christmas. Buoyed by i4 sales, BMW sold 13,538 electrified cars in Q1 2025 compared to 9,713 sold in the first quarter of last year. The i5, a relatively recent addition to BMW's stable of EVs, sold 1,899 units this year. The i4, a punchy little four-door sedan best experienced in an M variant, sold 7,125 cars, leading all EV sales for BMW by a wide margin. The iX, BMW's first foray into electrified SUVs, sold 3,626 units, while the luxurious and stately i7 found 888 new owners. Though BMW sold more EVs this year, not all vehicles sold better. i5 sales dipped 15.2 percent (BMW sold 239 i5s in Q1 2024) and the i7 fell 10.4 percent (991 sold in Q1 2024). For the i7, this isn't alarming, as the current version is a bit long in the tooth, and the market for a six-figure electrified sedan is small anyway. The fact that i5 sales are down may hint at waning interest, though. The iX sold 23.1 percent better in 2025, and the i4 is selling 57 percent better this year. The 4 Series has always been a sleeper hit for BMW, and the i4 suggests buyers are interested in smaller, sportier EVs. Last year, the i4 accounted for half of all 4 Series sales in the US. MINI's big success in 2025 is driven by bigger vehicles. BMW didn't break down MINI sales figures by model, but it did say that the brand sold 6,976 vehicles so far this year compared to 6,369 in the first quarter of 2024, which equates to a 9.5 percent uptick. The new MINI Countryman, a small SUV that's massive by MINI standards, has reached dealerships and is contributing to sales. It's the largest MINI to date and undoubtedly garners attention from small SUV buyers who want something fun without sacrificing quality. The Cooper, a return to MINI's heart and soul of small, sporty two-door cars, is also available in dealerships. The elephant in the room is that BMW has yet to electrify its core SUVs in the United States. When-not if-that happens, expect sales of BMW EVs to skyrocket. If BMW times vehicle launches properly and can find enough lithium to electrify its cars en masse, we could be reporting on 100 percent or more growth in BMW EV sales in 2026 when its next-gen battery and Neue Klasse vehicle platforms are ready to roll (pun intended). Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
