The BMW iNext electric crossover will debut this year

BMW’s electric crossover – dubbed the ‘iNext’ – will be shown off later this year. That’s right, BMW has announced that it will announce its next-generation full EV in 2018, as a ‘Vision’ vehicle – that’s BMWSpeak for ‘concept’.

There’s your teaser above. The iNext crossover is being developed in parallel with the i4 electric saloon concept we saw at Frankfurt last year. Both models tie into BMW’s grand plan of releasing 25 electrified models by 2025; 12 will be full EVs.

“A few years ago, project 'i' started out as an independent project,” explains BMW boss Harald Krüger. “Now, the letter ‘i’ is coming to our core BMW brand. Going forward, all pure electric BMW models will sport the ‘i’ badge and come equipped with fifth-generation battery technology.”

This next generation of ‘i’ models – including the iNext – will come with a range of 435 miles, or 700km. That iNext too, will sit on a modular platform – BMW even says “if that sounds a bit like Lego, that’s roughly the idea”.

It’ll be fully connected as well as fully electrified, with “safe, partially autonomous driving” capabilities.

What else? The new 8 Series, due to be revealed later in the summer, will feature “at least” six models including the M8 Gran Coupe we saw at the Geneva Motor Show a couple of months ago. Then there’s the full production version of the X7, a new X3, X2, X4, and – later this year – “a successor to the X5”.

“With the biggest model offensive in our history,” Krüger said, “we are issuing a challenge to our competitors. All our brands and model series are going electric. That’s shows our consistency. That’s the future.”