We asked sponsors for the 2019 Fleet Forward Conference four questions regarding their mobility strategies as they relate to commercial, corporate, and government fleets. BMW Group weighs in:
1-What message would you like to impart to our Fleet Forward audience of commercial, corporate, and government fleet managers?
The BMW Group is ahead of the curve in today’s rapidly changing mobility industry. We are leveraging capabilities developed during our 100+ years in the transportation sector and laying the groundwork for continued success with the creation of BMW’s Strategy NUMBER ONE > NEXT aimed at shaping tomorrow’s individual premium mobility. Both make the BMW Group a reliable partner in the commercial fleet business for the changes that lay ahead in this industry.
2-Tell us about your company as it relates to mobility: connectivity, autonomous technology, shared mobility, or electrification.
As part of the company’s Strategy NUMBER ONE > NEXT, new vehicle innovations and a product offensive have been introduced to lay the cornerstone for the BMW Group’s continuous evolution. With the BMW Vision iNEXT, we created a technology flagship, which integrates the key future-oriented topics of autonomous driving, connectivity, electrification and services (ACES). The generation of technologies currently under development will go into series production as Level 3 automation in 2021, with Level 4-enabled features for certain pilot projects.
Additionally, the BMW Group continues to systematically broaden the range of electrified models with increasing focus on cooperation in the fields of autonomous driving and mobility services, such as the newly founded joint venture Reach Now between BMW and Daimler.
To remain responsive to an ever-changing demand, the BMW Group will be capable of manufacturing models with all-electric (BEV), hybrid-electric (PHEV) and conventional (ICE) drivetrains on one production line through a flexible vehicle architecture and agile production system. This flexibility enables us to fulfil all customer needs and be truly customer centric. It puts us in a very strong strategic position to tackle both the challenges of future mobility and climate change.
3-What is your specific value proposition or message to commercial, corporate, and government fleets as it relates to mobility?
BMW Group’s robust product lineup and global focus on customer experience applies no differently to our fleet partners as it does to our retail customers. Backed by a strong distribution network and years of expertise, our Corporate and Special Sales team is well-positioned to continue delivering innovative mobility products and services to existing and new fleet partners. We will continue to offer a large selection of models, equipment and innovative drivetrain options specifically tailored to our corporate, commercial and governmental fleet partners’ needs throughout the U.S. market.
4-How do you see your part of the industry developing in the near future, and your business specifically?
It is no secret that the automotive industry is rapidly transforming into a technology-centric business. With this paradigm shift, we believe that tomorrow’s premium mobility will be autonomous, connected, electrified and service-based which is reflected in the ACES-approach of our strategy. Electrification is already reshaping the industry today, and with 25 fully or partially electrified vehicles available by 2023, the BMW Group is on course to provide the right solutions at the right time. As a result, we enable customers to choose what best fits their needs. We see choice as a key customer desire both today and in the future. The availability of various body styles, flexible architectures and different drivetrains shows our commitment to this and positions us to continuously adapt to rapidly changing market conditions — however they may develop — and offer our customers choice at every stage.