The BMW Group sold more than a million vehicles worldwide (1,003,573 / +1.6%) in the first five months of 2018—the Group’s best Jan-May performance to date. This record result was achieved despite the ongoing global ramp-up of BMW X3 production and volatility in China due to changes in import duties. These factors contributed to a slight decrease in the company’s monthly sales in May (204,041 / -2.1%). Of the total, sales of BMW i, BMW iPerformance and MINI Electric vehicles accounted for 46,849 units—an increase of 41.0% year-on-year.

The new BMW i3s.

Electrified vehicles accounted for nearly 7% of all BMW and MINI models sold in the US in the first five months of the year (9,762 / +61.0%) and more than 7% of BMW and MINI sales in the UK (6,555 / +34.2%).

In some markets, electrified vehicles already account for more than half of all BMW and MINI sales. Examples here are Norway (4,125 / +5.8%) and Malaysia (2,313 / +37.9%). The BMW Group said that it remains well on target to achieve its stated aim of selling more than 140,000 electrified vehicles in 2018.

Five years after its initial launch, customer demand for the BMW i models continues to grow at such a rate that production in Plant Leipzig will be increased by more than 50% this autumn, to 200 cars a day.

On the conventional side, sales of BMW X vehicles in the first five months of the year totalled 303,202 units (+3.4%) and accounted for 35.3% of all BMW brand sales. The brand has delivered 858,675 (+1.6%) vehicles to customers this year, with models such as the BMW 1 Series (82,828 / +11.6%) and the BMW 5 Series (156,105 / +12.5%) contributing to that growth.

In the first five months of the year, global MINI brand sales increased by 1.2% (143,472). Sales at BMW Motorrad in the first five months of the year totalled 70,007 / ‑1.6%. This year, BMW Motorrad is introducing nine new models and the related adjustments in production are affecting deliveries. Nonetheless, BMW Motorrad continues to strive for sales growth in 2018.