The BMW Group remains committed to achieving carbon neutrality by mid-century. To demonstrate progress toward its ambitious 2050 goal, the company has set a new interim target for 2035. It aims to slash at least 60 million metric tons of CO2e compared with 2019 levels.
That’s a notable increase from the previous objective of cutting 40 million metric tons by the end of this decade. One line in the press release caught our attention:
“By 2035, each euro generated will see less than half as much CO2e emitted compared to 2019.”
But BMW’s decarbonization efforts go far beyond tailpipe emissions. Of course, even fully electric vehicles like the iX3 generate CO2 during production. That is why sourcing steel with lower embedded emissions and expanding the use of recycled materials is crucial. Case in point, roughly one-third of the new iX3’s weight comes from reused materials. It ranges from secondary aluminum to recycled plastics, amounting to about 740 kilograms (1,631 pounds).
The Neue Klasse iX3 will surpass the gasoline-powered X3 in carbon efficiency after 21,500 kilometers (13,359 miles). If charged exclusively with renewable electricity, it becomes the greener choice after just 17,500 kilometers (10,873 miles).
BMW is also looking beyond EVs to further curb emissions. The company is actively promoting low-carbon alternative fuels such as HVO100 for diesel models and eFuels for gasoline cars. Both can cut 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 acknowledges that EV demand alone won’t rise fast enough for it to meet its 2030 and 2035 targets without additional measures. That’s why BMW is working to cut CO2 across each vehicle’s entire life cycle, regardless of whether it uses gasoline, diesel, plug-in hybrid, or electric power. Beginning in 2028, hydrogen fuel cells will join as a fifth drivetrain option with the iX5 60H xDrive.
Looking ahead to the 2050 net-zero commitment, BMW expects EVs to account for 50% of its annual sales by 2030. This projection covers the BMW brand as well as MINI and Rolls-Royce. We might as well include ALPINA, which starts a new era on January 1, 2026, as a wholly owned BMW Group brand. But reaching half of sales by the decade’s end won’t be easy, given that EVs accounted for only 18.3% of total sales in the first half of 2025.
