BMW ended 2022 strong as fourth-quarter sales rose 9.4% from the fourth quarter of 2021. However, supply issues limited the brand, and overall sales in 2022 fell slightly by 1.3% from 2021. However, this is only part of the story. BMW’s electric vehicles saw huge gains throughout the year, particularly in the fourth quarter.
Also big for BMWNA were the Sports Activity Vehicles built in the USA from the Spartanburg plant. Overall, they accounted for 60% of all BMWNA sales.
Official News: BMW NA sales end the year strong but down
In March 2022, the all-electric BMW iX Sports Activity Vehicle and the BMW i4 Gran Coupé arrived at US dealerships. For the next nine months, sales of the all-new EVs rose steadily as inventories improved. A third all-electric model, the BMW i7 sedan, went on sale at the end of November.
In the fourth quarter alone, BMW sold 8,689 electric vehicles, exceeding the total for the previous three quarters. For full-year 2022, BMW sold 15,584 all-electric vehicles in the U.S., accounting for about 4.7% of total U.S. sales.
In addition to the all-electric BMW iX, BMW i4 and BMW i7, the company’s electrified offering will be expanded in the US when the BMW XM Sports Activity Vehicle plug-in hybrid electric vehicle hits showrooms this quarter. BMW already offers plug-in hybrid electric variants of some of its most popular models, including the BMW X5 xDrive45e, BMW 330e and BMW 530e.
“With three all-electric BMW vehicles and several plug-in variants now available at US dealerships, we are firmly on the electrification journey, while also now offering our customers the performance, technology, luxury and quality they demand BMW is known for in a zero-emissions package,” said Sebastian Mackensen, President and CEO, BMW of North America. “At the same time, I want to recognize the central role our dealer network and Spartanburg facility continue to play in our sales success in the United States.”
Built in the USA, sold in the USA
The Spartanburg plant in South Carolina built just over 60% of BMW vehicles sold in the US in 2022 and continues to be a key driver of the company’s success. Despite ongoing production problems, the plant achieved its second-highest annual production last year and also added the all-new BMW XM to its model range.