Electrified BMW Models On Top At Industry Awards

A range of electrified BMW models have conquered industry awards in recent weeks, including Top Gear Electric Awards and the Fleet News Awards 2022, where BMW was named ‘Fleet Manufacture of the Year’ for the fourth consecutive year. Electrifying.com also named BMW as one of their ‘Green Heroes’ at their augural awards.

BMW i3, i4 and iX crowned at Top Gear Electric Awards.

Looking only at the best cars in the world on sale now, the Top Gear Electric Awards recognise truly innovative and industry-leading EV models.

The recently launched BMW i4 was crowned ‘Best Electric Executive Car’, with judges complementing the vehicle’s ergonomic cabin and sharp dynamics. Editor, Jack Rix concluded “this is the sort of car that, decades ago, built BMW’s reputation. Low and lithe to sit in, with a beautifully made and ergonomic cabin. Its steering, accelerator and brakes know what you’re thinking and do exactly what you’re wanting. Suspension is taut yet refined, the powertrain turbine smooth and razor sharp – aren’t those the reasons we love BMW straight-sixes? The i4’s e-motors do it even better.”

The BMW iX was also recognised by the judges, taking home ‘Best Luxury Electric Car’ with judges commenting “electric drivetrains lend themselves utterly to what we might describe as ‘luxurious’ when it comes to cars: smooth, silent, powerful. They are more reliable in absolute terms, deliver on the grails that luxury cars have sought since the invention of the chauffeur. The BMW iX wins because it disguises its bulk with calm authority. It has all the gizmos, but they’re not always on display. It’s soothing and therefore the height of EV luxury.”

Finally, the prestigious ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ was awarded to the BMW i3, ahead of the model ending production later in 2022. The BMW i3 made waves when it was first launched back in 2013 and was the BMW brand’s first fully electric vehicle. Since then, the model has sold over 26,500 examples in the UK.

‘Green Hero’ title awarded to BMW at inaugural Electrifying.com awards.

Taking note of the brand's long history in the field of electric vehicles, BMW has been awarded ‘Green Hero’ at the first-ever Electryfing.com awards. Designed to recognise companies who are showing commitment to reducing their environmental impact, the awards explored a range of measures introduced by brands including carbon-neutral manufacturing, the reduction of rare-earth metals, use of recycled materials and auditing of the supply chain.

The judging panel – made up of both editorial staff at Electryfing.com and industry experts were impressed with BMW’s ‘joined up approach across the organisation, showing real depth of thought into reducing impact on the environment on a micro and macro scale’.

Founder and CEO of Electrifying.com Ginny Buckley commented “BMW established its commitment to sustainability with the ground-breaking all-electric i3 and is now leading the way when it comes to sustainability across manufacturing and the supply chain. Our Electrifying.com research shows that two thirds of consumers are concerned about the environmental impact of how their car was made and the Green Hero award will help the increasing number of car buyers looking for clarity in this area. Congratulations to BMW for its work in this area."

Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive Officer, BMW Group UK said “We are delighted that BMW has been named a ‘Green Hero’ by Electrifying.com. To us, green means thinking beyond the tailpipe – we need to consider the entire lifecycle of the car, starting with the raw materials and the increased use of recycled materials, through the supply chain and production, to the car’s useful life and eventual recycling.

We are serious about wanting to lead the transformation of our industry and have set ourselves an ambitious target for 2030: to reduce the CO2 lifecycle emissions per vehicle by at least 40 per cent from 2019 levels. Reusing materials as part of a circular economy is key to this and we want to increase the amount of reused materials per car to 50%.”

Quadruple win at Fleet News Awards 2022, including highly coveted ‘Fleet Manufacturer of the Year’ Award.

Three BMW models were named winners at the 2022 Fleet News Awards, with the brand also taking home the highly coveted ‘Fleet Car Manufacturer of the Year’ title for the fourth consecutive year.

The BMW i4 took home two awards on the night including ‘Best Premium Car’ and ‘Best Zero Emission Car (more than £40,000)’ with judges praising the model's “low running costs, fantastic driving and a range that makes all the difference.”

Editor-in-chief Stephen Briers commented “the i4 sets the benchmark for reliable range in the fast-evolving electric market. It seamlessly replaces BMW’s biggest selling fleet stalwart with a viable zero-emission option that is set to become the go-to car for company car drivers. Simply outstanding."

The highly sought after ‘Best Premium SUV’ category was also awarded to BMW and the fully-electric iX3. Launched first in 2020, the iX3 offers hints of both the iX and i4, alongside the familiarity of the popular X3 SUV.  Judges were impressed with the model's value for money and competitive running costs, noting “the iX3 combines all the traditional strengths of an X3 with electric power. Excellent value for money, well equipped, great to drive and with competitive running costs, it has enough range to satisfy most journey profiles and makes electric a viable proposition for SUVs”.

Voted for by fleet decision-makers across the industry, Fleet Car Manufacturer of the Year acknowledges the brand which produced the best fleet vehicles in a given year, with 2022 seeing BMW take home the crown for the fourth year in a row.

BMW 3 Series & 5 Series victorious at Fleet World Awards.

Two BMW models were successful at the Fleet World Awards 2022, with the BMW 3 Series and BMW 5 Series taking home ‘Best Compact Executive Car’ and ‘Best Executive Car’ respectively. Both models are available with petrol, diesel, or plug-in hybrid powertrain options. Commenting on the win, the judges noted “for some people, a BMW 5 Series is the only car they would ever need. Comfortable, great to drive, reliable and well-built – it’s easy to see why it’s still so popular, even after so many years”.

Now in its seventh generation, the 3 Series has been at the core of the BMW range for over 40 years and has an unparalleled reputation for both its quality and supreme handling. Speaking of its win, Fleet World Editor John Challen concluded “in a world that is increasingly dominated by SUVs and CUVs, it’s refreshing to see the 3 Series continue to appeal to so many drivers. BMW does the basics right so many times, it’s no surprise that fleet drivers return to what they know and love”.