BMW Neue Klasse concept car will debut at CES 2023 in Las Vegas

It seems like BMW mentioned the Neue Klasse only a few days ago but in fact the company has been hard at work for quite a while now. The first time we heard the term “Neue Klasse” was at the beginning of this year and come January next year, we will see the Neue Klasse concept car.

BMW chose the CES in Las Vegas as the venue for the unveiling but we can be pretty sure there will be plenty of leaks long before the date. The confirmation came during the Q3 earnings call when the BMW’s CFO said the company was in fact bringing the preview vehicle of Neue Klasse to the show.

The preview or vision vehicle as BMW refers to it, may not be a complete car -it may be either just the interior renderings or quite the opposite - the exterior only or even just a silhouette of it, although vision vehicles tend to be more detailed than that.

Neue Klass was decided upon when BMW ditched the idea of using the updated platform for both gas and electrically powered cars. The company decided instead that the replacement of the current UKL and CLAR platforms will be electric only - hence the name Neue Klasse. On the side note though, the new platform will support hydrogen fuel cell powertrain as well as battery power.

The new platform is even more flexible than the current ones, it allows for different wheelbase and different body styles. The Neue Klass vehicles are bound to be more aerodynamic in order to increase their range and the proportions will be different - the company wants to maximize interior space.

The battery packs will use the new cylindrical cells, and the 6th generation electric motors will be smaller and more powerful with improved efficiency. Put all that together and BMW promises 30 percent range improvement when compared to today’s electric cars.

The Hungarian factory in Debrecen, currently under construction, will be responsible for building the Neue Klasse vehicles starting in 2025. The following year the factory in Munich will start production as well after completing a total re-fit. First car from Neue Klasse will be a sedan - most likely the new all-electric BMW 3 series with a sporty SUV to follow.

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