BMW Will Electrify The X3 In 2020

It seems like everyone’s working on new electric vehicles. One of the latest announcements is that BMW will bring the X3e to market in 2020. This might not seem like a huge surprise, but it actually marks a shift in strategy for the Bavarians.

Word is BMW has cancelled its much-rumored i5 all-electric sedan. That’s a big deal, because green vehicle advocates thought it meant the Germans are going back on the promise to push forward with electrification.

Instead, it looks like BMW plans to release electric versions of established models. We already know the all-electric 3 Series is likely coming next year. Only a fool would believe BMW isn’t working on plenty more electric vehicles. And it appears most, if not all, will be based on vehicles that have already established themselves in the market.

The BMW i3 is a revolutionary car. I love the engineering behind it, but to most people it just looks weird. That’s translated into ho-hum sales, and in the end that’s what matters the most. After all, this electric powertrain tech ain’t cheap.

People are interested in electric cars, but they have doubts. Give them something that looks good and doesn’t feel weird, and that might be the key to success. At least, that seems to be the approach of BMW. I think it has a good shot of working well.