Inovev forecasts 65,000 units of the new BMW i3 in 2030
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Inovev forecasts 65,000 units of the new BMW i3 in 2030
- BMW recently unveiled its new all-electric D-segment sedan, the i3 (manufacturer code: NAO). Its name does not refer to the previous i3, a small electric B-segment city car sold between 2013 and 2022, but rather to the 3 Series sedan, which has represented the brand's mid-range since the 1970s. The new BMW i3 is, in a way, the eighth generation of the 3 Series, currently available only as a fully electric vehicle, but should also be available in a combustion engine version in the coming months, just as the i4, i5, and i7 have their combustion engine versions (4 Series, 5 Series, and 7 Series).
- The new BMW i3 is the second (after the iX3 SUV, also in the D segment) of six all-electric models announced on the Neue Klasse platform. The BMW i3 will go on sale in July 2026, while the iX3 SUV has been available since March 2026.
- Compared to the previous 3 Series (2019-2026), the i3 is 5 cm longer (4.76 m), 4 cm wider (1.86 m), 4 cm taller (1.48 m), and its wheelbase is also 4 cm longer (2.89 m). Visually, the new i3 is characterized by more conventional, less distinctive lines. Even the grille now features two kidney grilles positioned horizontally rather than vertically. The "Hoffmeister kink " on the rear doors is now merely suggested.
- The new i3 promises a range of 900 km without recharging thanks to its 108.7 kW NMC battery already used on the iX3 SUV.
- The new i3 will be manufactured at the historic Munich plant, not in Hungary like the iX3. According to Inovev, this model, which will compete with the existing i4 (70,000 sales in 2025) and i5 (40,000 sales in 2025), will see up to 65,000 units produced in Europe and the same number in China by 2030. An i3 station wagon will be added to the lineup in a few months.
Audi will launch an A2 E-Tron in the fall of 2026
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Audi will launch an A2 E-Tron in the fall of 2026
- Although the first generation of the Audi A2, marketed from 2000 to 2005, was not a great success, with 176,205 units sold in five years (an average of 35,000 per year), the Ingolstadt brand will launch a second generation of the A2 next autumn, whose quirky design strongly recalls that of the first generation, a design undeniably evoking the world of the minivan, with a short hood, a very steeply raked windshield and a vertical rear.
- The main difference with the first generation is that the future Audi A2 will have a 100% electric motor and not a thermal motor like the old model and that its body should no longer be made of aluminium as on the old model, but of steel.
- The upcoming Audi A2 E-Tron will be positioned as Audi's entry-level electric model, indirectly replacing the entry-level A1 and Q2 with internal combustion engines, which will be discontinued in 2027. It will be presented as a fully electric alternative to the similarly sized A3 sedan. In terms of its dimensions, the future Audi A2 E-Tron will compete with the Mini Aceman, Volvo EX30, Mercedes EQA, and even the Renault Mégane E-Tech.
- Its MEB+ platform is shared with the Volkswagen ID.3, Skoda Elroq , and Ford Capri. Given that an Audi Q4 E-Tron is priced at €47,000 in its cheapest version, the price of the future Audi A2 E-Tron could be between €35,000 and €45,000 depending on the version, which is the same price as a Volkswagen ID.3 (€35,000 to €48,000 depending on the version).
- The Audi A2 E-Tron is expected to be manufactured at the Ingolstadt site, at a rate of 45,000 units per year according to Inovev.
Inovev forecasts 50,000 units per year of the new Dacia Striker
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Inovev forecasts 50,000 units per year of the new Dacia Striker
- The carmaker Dacia (a subsidiary of Renault) continues its move upmarket by unveiling a raised C-segment station wagon called Striker, based on the same platform as the Bigster SUV, as well as the internal combustion and hybrid engines.
- This model is now the longest in the Dacia range, at 4.62 m long, 5 cm longer than the Bigster and 7 cm longer than the Jogger. It also has no equivalent in the Renault range, which has progressively abandoned its C and D segment sedans and station wagons with internal combustion engines. In the Dacia range, the Striker is to the Jogger what the Bigster is to the Duster, i.e. a slightly larger and slightly more expensive model.
- The base engine, driving the front wheels, is the 1.2 TCe . This turbocharged three-cylinder, paired with mild hybrid technology and a six-speed manual transmission, produces 138 hp (101 kW). The other version is equipped with the Hybrid 155 system. This combines a 1.8-liter gasoline engine with a 49 hp electric motor integrated into the automatic transmission. This system delivers a total output of 155 hp (114 kW).
- With Dacia's factories in Morocco (Tangier) and Romania (Pitesti) operating at full capacity, the Striker will be produced at the Renault plant in Turkey (Bursa), at a rate of 50,000 units per year according to Inovev. This is the first time a Dacia model has been assembled in Turkey.
- While the Jogger is priced at 28,000 euros in its F-HEV 1.8 version and the Bigster F-HEV 1.8 is priced at 30,000 euros, the Striker F-HEV 1.8 could become the most expensive model in the Dacia range.
Inovev forecasts to sell 5,000 units per year of the new Mercedes VLE
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Inovev forecasts to sell 5,000 units per year of the new Mercedes VLE
- Mercedes has just unveiled the new generation of its large, battery electric EQV minivan, now called the VLE, as the carmaker has decided to gradually phase out the EQ designation in its new electric range. This is the case for the recent electric versions of the Mercedes GLB and GLC SUVs, as well as the recent electric versions of the CLA sedans.
- The VLE minivan draws inspiration from the recent trend of large luxury minivans, particularly those developing in the Chinese market. As a result, the VLE boasts a level of prestige never before seen in this type of vehicle in Europe, approaching that of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class Maybach. It is built on a platform (VAN.EA) and features a completely bespoke 800V electrical architecture, unlike that of a standard commercial vehicle, offering performance, handling, and comfort comparable to any high-end sedan.
- Measuring 5.30 m long, 2.00 m wide, and 2.00 m high, the VLE features a 115 kWh NMC battery coupled to a 262 hp (193 kW) electric motor mounted at the front, enabling a range of 700 km according to the WLTP cycle—twice that of the previous EQV. This improvement is due not only to the large-capacity battery but also to significant enhancements in aerodynamics and electric motor efficiency. Mercedes thus announces a drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.25, identical to that of the new generation of electric vehicles.
- The electric vehicle will also be available from next year in a lower battery capacity version (80 kWh battery) and a more powerful version (dual motors totaling 409 hp ). Inovev estimates annual production of the electric vehicle at 5,000 units (in Vitoria, Spain), which is almost double the production volume of the previous EQV. Until further notice, the Mercedes V-Class hybrid continues to be marketed without any changes to its body style.
Mercedes wants to share its South African factory with a competitor
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Mercedes wants to share its South African factory with a competitor
- We recently saw that the Chinese carmaker Chery acquired Nissan's Rosslyn plant in South Africa. The Japanese carmaker wanted to reduce its global production capacity, deeming the plant too large relative to its actual sales. Furthermore, the Nissan plant in South Africa allows Chery to extend its international expansion across the continent.
- Today, we learn that another carmaker based in South Africa, namely Mercedes, which has the East London factory in that country, would like to partially withdraw from its activity in this factory.
- It is worth remembering that the Mercedes factory in East London has been producing C-Class sedans for about thirty years, for local markets but especially for large-scale export, particularly to North and South America.
- However, new tariffs imposed by the United States on imported cars have caused a sharp drop in Mercedes C-Class sales in the country (the US ceased production of the C-Class domestically in 2020). Consequently, while the East London plant has a production capacity of 100,000 cars per year, actual production of the model fell from 95,000 units in 2023 to 80,000 in 2024 and 70,000 in 2025. And forecasts for 2026 anticipate a further decline.
- Mercedes is therefore looking for a carmaker that could help it make its factory profitable by taking over half of the factory's capacity, rather than the entirety. This isn't a very attractive solution, since the carmaker accepting this proposal would have to share the factory with Mercedes. However, a Chinese carmaker might be drawn to this offer.