INTERVIEW
enjoyed considerable success in . Norway and the Netherlands are particularly fruitful examples , countries that Arnold refers to as rockstars . In terms of volume of models sold , the USA is perhaps unsurprisingly the company ’ s largest buyer . More surprising is the fact that Malaysia accounts for the fifthlargest number of BMW i sales .
While some markets embrace electric with greater enthusiasm than others , Arnold expects the next 10 to 15 years to be something of a transition phase while manufacturers develop electric solutions to cater for all needs .
“ We started with the i3 and an urban mobility concept , which suited the technology available ,” he explains . “ Obviously , this will not meet the needs of every driver , but in many urban areas where the daily commute is not too far , it is a perfect solution . Now we are offering more than 200km on the i3 , and we have plug-in hybrids for those needing to drive longer journeys .
“ Battery technology is developing pretty fast and we are now able to fit bigger batteries to bigger cars and offer longer ranges , but I don ’ t think we will completely replace combustion engines for at least another 20 to 30 years .”
The infrastructure challenge The single-largest barrier to overcome is undoubtedly the installation of adequate charging infrastructure . Entire new ecosystems of charging stations , parking and highways will need building if the mass market consumer is to be swayed , work which requires collaboration between numerous parties from auto manufacturers and governments to energy firms and construction businesses .
Arnold cites Amsterdam and Oslo as pioneering examples to follow , with both cities housing a lot of charging points that remove any range anxieties people living there might have . “ A battery with a range of 200km is not a problem here as you can charge pretty much wherever you want – at the office , at home , at the shop , even at the opera ,” he adds .
BWM i continues to invest in building such ecosystems . ChargeNow , a BMW company , is the world ’ s largest electric vehicle charging network with around 70,000 charging stations spread across the globe . A joint venture with Daimler , Volkswagen
12 December 2017