Plans exist for the electric iX1 and its Mini Countryman sibling to also switch from the 400V FAAR platform to the 800V NBx platform as part of efforts to achieve greater economies of scale, Autocar has been told.
The Neue Klasse architectures are set to introduce new cylindrical battery cells.
With a standard diameter of 46mm and two different lengths – either 95mm or 120mm – the sixth-generation battery has been developed with revised cell chemistry that is said to provide future models with much-improved performance.
The Neue Klasse range of models remains on track for launch in 2025 and BMW plans to build six new cars on this electric architecture within the following 24 months.
Körber confirmed that Insiders call the i2 the spiritual successor to the i3 hatch Neue Klasse will not be a consumer-facing brand or name and the models launched off the architecture will take regular model names like 3 Series and X3.
He added that BMW will “not change its naming logic” for its models, as Audi has done in making electric cars evennumbered and combustion ones odd-numbered. The first Neue Klasse models are now in their “final stages” of development, said Körber, and being readied for production. “We have built the first pre-series cars and have driven them,” said Körber.