BMW to prep Dubai for electric car future
New centre will be one of three in Europe, Asia to offer ‘high voltage training’ for plug-in hybrid, BMW i models
Don’t wait around for the electric car revolution to happen in the Middle East. The time to start prepping the ground starts right now. The BMW Group certainly thinks so.
This December, the German carmaker will commission a full-fledged training centre in Dubai for after-sales personnel at its importers in the region. The 5,300 square metre facility in Dubai South can train around 2,000 personnel, including those working on the Mini and Rolls-Royce brands.
But that’s just part of it. The facility will be one of three BMW Group centres across Europe and Asia to have what the manufacturer says will be “high voltage training for plugin hybrid and BMW i models”.
‘Future proofed’
“Training will be offered that will ensure staff are [future]-proofed for innovations in BMW Group’s electric and PHEV plug-in hybrid electric vehicle] models,” said a spokesperson.
For now, the “specific trainings for handling electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles have been conducted in Europe and Asia for all the importers which have launched these cars in market.”
Last year was a “significant year in terms of a shift towards electrification in the region. Sales more than doubled for BMW iPerformance models — the plug-in hybrid vehicles — which was largely driven by the Jordanian market. Over the coming five to 10 years, we anticipate a shift in demand from combustion engines towards electric and plug-in-hybrid vehicles.”
By 2025, the group intends to have 25 electric models, of which 12 will be all-electric. Among the first of these will be an all-electric Mini next year and an all-electric BMW X3 crossover in 2020. And just this month, it issued teasers on the iNEXT SUV, due to hit the roads some time in 2021.
Apart from the electric focus, the facility will include a Brand & Customer Institute for training focused on all three group-owned marques.