It’s safe to say this was a lucrative week for BMW Belux. With 723 vehicles delivered to a single customer, this is the largest delivery in the history of the local company. PwC Belgium took over the new cars, none of which have a combustion engine. As part of the handover alone, 423 BMW iX1 electric crossovers in the eDrive20 version were delivered.
The remaining vehicles were also higher-riding, zero-emission models, but from a different brand. PwC Belgium has received 300 MINI Aceman units as part of its wider initiative to decarbonise its fleet. The company wants to phase out all remaining cars with combustion engines by the end of 2028. Already 40% of the fleet consists of electric vehicles and a further 50% are hybrid vehicles, meaning that only 10% are powered exclusively by combustion engines. The entire company wants to become climate neutral by 2030.
At this point, you’re probably wondering where all these cars are going to charge. As expected, PwC Belgium has already thought of this. To accommodate the influx of electric vehicles, it will add 270 new charging points, bringing the total near its offices to 475.
This is not the first time that PwC Belgium has purchased electric vehicles from the BMW Group. Last year, 200 diesel vehicles were replaced by electric MINI Cooper SE hatchbacks, saving 400 tons of CO₂ annually. Like the Aceman crossover, the three-door model is built exclusively in China. The iX1, on the other hand, is produced at the Regensburg plant in Germany, where the combustion-powered X1 is also manufactured.
Although these are currently the BMW Group’s most affordable electric vehicles, reports suggest that more models are on the way. An i1 hatchback is reportedly expected to enter production towards the end of 2028, with an i2 Gran Coupe following shortly. Neither will be part of the upcoming Neue Klasse product wave, which includes 40 new or updated models by the end of 2027.
Speaking of NK models, a replacement for the current iX1 has already been spied that hides the new design language. However, an official unveiling is not expected until 2027. When it arrives, it will be a completely different vehicle than the CLAR-based vehicle shown here. Not just in design, but also in hardware and software. Expect Gen6 batteries and motors, as well as the iDrive X infotainment system.
