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Originally Posted by heavyD^2
If BMW converted their entire lineup to EV today I certainly agree their status as independent manufacturer would be in danger as they would be catering to an extremely small minority of buyers.
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But that's not what he was suggesting.
He specifically described concern about BMW's continued use of ICE platforms for underpinning EVs rather than developing an EV-only vehicle architecture to supplement the existing CLAR and FAAR platforms. The latter strategy would allow ICE vehicle production to continue just as it has while new EVs could be optimized around the advantages that the use of an electric drivetrain brings to vehicle design.
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It's not a race to totally convert to EV as automakers are going to have to straddle the line between being able to sell cars today as well as tomorrow.
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Exactly that, yes. Hence why you rightfully see automakers continue to develop great ICE products. However, many of them such as Benz, VAG, GM, and Ford already have EV vehicle architectures ready with multiple products coming starting this year.
It's true that we don't know yet how these products will perform in the marketplace, nor do we know how they will measure up against Tesla's vehicles. But we do know that they have strong potential to offer better packaging and more features than would have been possible if they were built on traditional platforms. Such traits could be a major differentiator and result in BMW's products struggling to gain acceptance. There is every reason to have doubts about BMW's strategy. We have even heard rumor that there is a contingent within the company who holds these same concerns.