Yesterday, BMW celebrated the two-year anniversary of the launch of the BMW i3 by releasing a few tidbits of information about the vehicle program. The company says its Leipzig plant is assembling 100 units per day and that the i3 is now the third best-selling electric vehicle in the world, but in my opinion the most interesting information BMW released is that over 80 percent of BMW i3 buyers are new customers to the BMW Group.Customer loyalty is an interesting concept in general and an important one in the automotive industry. The latest data from IHS confirms that 52.8 percent of car buyers remain loyal to the current brand they are driving, which makes gaining market shares an interesting problem for automakers.
Of course, adding to the number of models available within a brand is an effective way to gain new customers and it is exactly what BMW did with its new “i” lineup. The company is even looking to soon add a third “i” electric car to join the i3 and i8.
But still, “80 percent” is an impressive rate and highlights the growth opportunities within the EV market. I think it sends a clear message to automakers: “if you want to gain new customers, you should get serious about making electric vehicles – not just compliance cars”.
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Very interesting! Lots of room and opportunity for Apple to make their mark in this area of the car market.
Certainly was my case when I shopped for my first electric car a few months ago: I started my research from zero, my experience with gas vehicles did not feel like it should be a major factor (except customer service side of things).
… and very happy with my first BMW as our little city car so far.