Q&A with... BMW’s Rob East

BMW’s in a great place to adjust to changing demands

Rob East, General Manager, Corporate Sales BMW Group, outlines the company’s future strategy to Andrew Walker

CC&V: Post-pandemic, there are supply issues for most car and van manufacturers, relating to a worldwide semi-conductor shortage. How well do you think the brand has coped with this?

Rob East: We recognise this is a difficult global situation, but for us, customer communication is key. We’ve been clear and transparent with our customers where any restrictions on optional equipment have been necessary on certain models and how we’re working to resolve these; even developing a bi-weekly bulletin so our customers are kept up to date with moving developments.

CC&V: With generous BIK tax incentives on plug-in-hybrid and fully electric cars, all of the car manufacturers are moving their fleet offering in this direction. Do you think the end is nigh for your petrol and diesel models in the corporate sector?

RE: We continue to see a place for combustion engines in our range and for our customers, and therefore we continue to invest in this powertrain technology. BMW has pledged to have 23 electrified vehicles by 2025 so we’re already working towards an electric future and feel confident we’re able to take our fleet customers on this journey.

CC&V: The BMW 330e and 530e, as well as the MINI Countryman PHEV, have been your headline fleet models for a couple of years now. Which new BMW and MINI models will increase your plug-in or electric offering to fleet in the next year or so?

RE: As a brand, the next few years will see exciting new electric models launched. In July we launched the new BMW iX3 (see page 8), which is already performing strongly even though no customers have seen or driven this car yet. Towards the end of 2021 we launch the all-new BMW iX and BMW i4, both of which we expect to perform well in the corporate market.

CC&V: With many businesses letting employees work from home, with less time spent in the office, do you think that your average BMW fleet customer will be reducing their annual mileage and if so, how will the BMW ‘Business Partnership’ programme address this?

RE: We have seen useage profiles of our fleet drivers change significantly during the pandemic. Mileage is dropping in line with changing commuting patterns. Furthermore, this change has helped increase interest and adoption of our electrified models.

Our Business Partnership programme is totally flexible, giving customers the ability to change their contracted mileage to suit their current circumstances, allowing them to adjust the programme now and in the future should their commuting pattern change again.

CC&V: In a recent survey about electric cars, our readers’ biggest concerns were EV range anxiety and access to charging points, not the actual cost of electric vehicles. Based on our findings, do you think that electric is the way forward or do selfcharging and PHEV cars have an important role to play in the transition to a fully electric fleet?

RE: For many fleets, our plug-in hybrid vehicles such as the BMW 330e or MINI Countryman Plug-In Hybrid remain a great choice. In discussion with our customers on switching to fully electric vehicles, it’s become obvious that range anxiety has reduced but the focus has shifted to concerns around charging infrastructure.

We are working with our partners at Alphabet to identify ways in which we can bundle our products together for customer ease – for example, installing wall boxes upon delivery and providing access to BMW Charging, which means drivers need only one RFID card to access one of the largest networks of charge points from various providers.

Our upcoming electric models have a great range: the BMW iX, for example, has a WLPT range of up to 380 miles, which combined with the ability to charge at a rate of up to 150kW becomes a game changer for high-mileage company car drivers.

Our plug-in hybrid vehicles such as the BMW 330e or MINI Countryman Plug-In Hybrid remain a great choice ... it’s become obvious that range anxiety has reduced...