BMW eyes bigger EV share for its India fleet

German automaker BMW is aiming to have electric vehicles comprise nearly a third of its sales in India by the end of the year, driven by heightened demand following the West Asia crisis. Hardeep Singh Brar, President & CEO of BMW Group India, revealed to ET that the company is considering assembling a second electric vehicle - the long-wheelbase electric sedan BMW i5 (LWB) - locally due to its high demand.

Last year, while the industry's electric vehicle share was around 4-5%, BMW achieved 21% EV sales, now up to 26%. The company expects to push its electric vehicle share to 30% or more with the launch of the locally assembled second product. Brar highlighted that the strategy to expand EV offerings and long-wheelbase models has helped BMW outpace the stagnant luxury car market in India.

The company's long-wheelbase model currently accounts for 52% of its portfolio, with a projected increase. Two-thirds of BMW's total sales in India are expected to be long-wheelbase variants, addressing the issue of limited rear-seat space for customers.

To date, BMW has sold 1.6 lakh cars in India, with 20% of them being long-wheelbase variants. Brar noted that the company has consistently outperformed competitors, with an average growth rate of over 15-16% for the past four to five years. In the first half of 2026, BMW's retail sales rose by 17% to 9,075 units, despite rivals posting either flat or declining numbers. Mercedes Benz maintained its lead in retail sales with 9,768 units sold up to June 2026.

Looking ahead, BMW has already launched 13 vehicles this year and plans to introduce 12 more across sedans, SUVs, and EVs. Brar is confident that the company will continue to grow at a double-digit rate, outpacing the competition.