BMW is reportedly developing an all-electric crossover aimed squarely at the upcoming Tesla Model X.
According to Automotive News, the unnamed SUV has yet to be approved by BMW’s board of directors. The report, originally appearing in a German business magazine, was dismissed as “speculation” by a BMW spokesperson. That being said, BMW CEO Harald Krueger is reportedly eager to add an electric SUV to the lineup.
If the SUV is green-lit, it would be manufactured in Spartanburg, South Carolina – the same facility where BMW assembles the X3, X4, X5 and X6. The electric SUV will also be sold under BMW’s i lineup alongside the i3 and i8, though we don’t yet know what number it will be assigned.
Along with the Model X, which is due out by this October, BMW’s electric SUV will be taking aim at the all-electric Audi Q8. While the Q8 is scheduled to arrive in 2019, don’t expect the BMW to hit the market earlier than 2018. For now, we’ll have to make do with the X5 xDrive 40e plug-in hybrid.
