The BMW Group remains committed to achieving carbon neutrality by the middle of the century. To demonstrate progress towards its ambitious 2050 target, the company has set a new interim target for 2035. The goal is to save at least 60 million tons of CO2e compared to 2019.
This is a notable increase over the previous target of saving 40 million tonnes by the end of this decade. One line in the press release caught our attention:
“By 2035, every euro generated will emit less than half as much CO2e as in 2019.”
But BMW’s decarbonization efforts go far beyond exhaust emissions. Of course, fully electric vehicles like the iX3 also generate CO2 during production. This is why sourcing steel with lower embedded emissions and expanding the use of recycled materials is critical. Around a third of the weight of the new iX3 comes from reused materials. It ranges from secondary aluminum to recycled plastic and totals about 740 kilograms (1,631 pounds).
The New Class iX3 will outperform the gasoline-powered X3 in CO2 efficiency after 21,500 kilometers (13,359 miles). If it is charged exclusively with renewable electricity, it is the more environmentally friendly choice after just 17,500 kilometers (10,873 miles).
BMW is also looking beyond electric vehicles to further reduce emissions. The company actively promotes low-carbon alternative fuels such as HVO100 for diesel models and eFuels for gasoline cars. Both can reduce emissions by up to 90% compared to fossil fuels. HVO100 is already compatible with modern BMW diesel engines, making it a practical way to reduce emissions from cars already on the road.
The group admits that without additional measures, demand for electric vehicles alone will not grow fast enough to meet its 2030 and 2035 targets. That’s why BMW is working to reduce CO2 emissions over the entire life cycle of every vehicle, regardless of whether it uses gasoline, diesel, plug-in hybrid or electric drive. From 2028, hydrogen fuel cells will be added as a fifth drive option with the iX5 60H xDrive.
Looking ahead to its net zero commitment by 2050, BMW expects electric vehicles to account for 50% of its annual sales by 2030. This forecast includes the BMW brand as well as MINI and Rolls-Royce. We could also include ALPINA, which starts a new era on January 1, 2026, as a wholly owned brand of the BMW Group. But reaching half of sales by the end of the decade won’t be easy, considering that electric vehicles accounted for just 18.3% of total sales in the first half of 2025.
