BMW Group has delivered its two-millionth fully electric vehicle. The car, an i5 M60 xDrive, rolled out of the Dingolfing plant in Bavaria. It now belongs to a customer in Spain. The achievement comes nearly 13 years after the first i3 reached buyers in late 2013.
But the numbers tell a more complex story. Global battery-electric deliveries slipped 7.4 percent in the first half of 2026 to 204,295 units, according to The Next Web. Sales in China fell more than 20 percent. The U.S. market showed similar softness after the expiration of certain tax credits. Europe, however, carried the load.
In the second quarter alone Europe took 81,445 of the 116,807 battery-electric cars BMW sold worldwide. That works out to seven in ten. The rest of the planet, including China and the United States, accounted for roughly 35,000. Battery-electric vehicles made up 28 percent of BMW’s European sales in the first half. The region has become the decisive factor in the company’s electrification math.
Europe’s Appetite Reshapes BMW’s EV Strategy
High fuel prices linked to geopolitical tensions have pushed buyers toward electric models. Government incentives remain in place across many countries. Nearly 1.5 million battery-electric vehicles were registered across Europe through July, a 30 percent increase year over year, Carscoops reported, citing broader market data. In July, EVs captured 35 percent of new-car sales in France, 29 percent in Germany and an astonishing 80 percent in Denmark.
BMW’s own figures reflect that momentum. European BEV sales jumped 38 percent in the second quarter to those 81,445 units. One model stands out. The iX3, the first Neue Klasse vehicle, is approaching 100,000 orders. Since its unveiling, one in three electric BMWs ordered in Europe has been an iX3. Within the broader X3 family, half of all orders now specify the electric version. Production at the new Debrecen plant in Hungary has already added a second shift to keep pace.
Jochen Goller, BMW AG board member responsible for customer, brands and sales, put it plainly. “Selling two million BEVs underlines how BMW and MINI models are winning over customers worldwide. In Europe, the positive development has continued since the market launch of the BMW iX3, and we will soon be reaching the milestone of 100,000 new orders. This shows the tremendous importance of the Neue Klasse for the ongoing ramp-up of electromobility at the BMW Group.” The statement appeared in the company’s official release and was echoed across Motor1 and InsideEVs.
Include plug-in hybrids and the cumulative total since 2013 rises to about 3.5 million electrified vehicles. More than one in four BMW Group cars sold worldwide in the first half of 2026 was electrified. The pace has clearly accelerated. The first million took roughly 11 years. The second million arrived in about two and a half.
Yet the geographic split raises questions for the years ahead. In the United States, BMW’s electrified sales fell 18.1 percent in the second quarter. Its pure EV sales were down 56 percent year to date in some tracking. Chinese buyers have pulled back as local brands flood the market with lower-priced options. BMW’s global deliveries reflect those pressures even as European demand surges.
The Neue Klasse platform itself represents the next chapter. Series production of the new i3 sedan began at Plant Munich in August. The facility is slated to build only Neue Klasse electric vehicles around 2027. Additional models, including variants of the iX series and future X models, are already in the pipeline. Early signs suggest strong interest. The i3 sedan has drawn “high demand,” BMW executives noted, though specific order numbers remain undisclosed.
Industry observers point to a broader pattern. European consumers respond to price, range and the absence of combustion-engine alternatives in many urban zones. Chinese EV makers have captured a record share of the European market, forcing traditional players to accelerate their own affordable offerings. BMW’s iX3 appears positioned to compete directly on design, interior quality and driving dynamics that luxury buyers expect.
The Dingolfing-built i5 M60 that marked the two-million milestone is itself a product of the previous generation. Its handover in Spain symbolizes both past success and the shift now underway. Future volume will depend on how quickly Neue Klasse models scale and whether other regions regain momentum. For now the data is clear. Europe has become BMW’s electric stronghold. The company’s ability to convert that regional strength into balanced global growth will determine the next set of milestones.
Recent coverage from BMWBlog confirms the 28 percent European BEV share and highlights the upcoming iX4, i3 Touring and iX7. The Neue Klasse offensive has only begun. Its success or stumbles will shape BMW’s position in the luxury segment for the rest of the decade.
BMW Hits 2 Million EVs as Europe Powers Growth and Neue Klasse Takes Hold first appeared on Web and IT News.