BMW Group says its electric-vehicle business continued to gain ground in Europe during the second quarter of 2026, even as weaker conditions in China and tougher global competition put pressure on the wider company. The figures were published in BMW Group’s official July 30 announcement covering its second-quarter and first-half performance.
The announcement presents a mixed picture. BMW Group reported second-quarter earnings before tax of €1.697 billion, down 35.1% from the same period a year earlier. For the first six months of 2026, earnings before tax reached €4.045 billion, a year-on-year decline of 29.4%. The Automotive segment recorded an EBIT margin of 2.3% in the second quarter.
BMW attributed the pressure to a significant downturn in the Chinese market, increased competition in the Asia-Pacific region and the effects of the continuing conflict in the Middle East. The company also said that the global operating environment remains challenging, with regional regulatory requirements and geopolitical developments adding complexity for manufacturers.
Europe provides a stronger electric counterpoint
Against that backdrop, BMW’s battery-electric figures in Europe were notably stronger. The group delivered 81,500 battery-electric vehicles in the European sales region during the second quarter, an increase of 37.9% compared with the same quarter of 2025. Fully electric vehicles represented 31.3% of new vehicles delivered in the region, compared with 24.4% a year earlier.
That regional result contrasts with BMW Group’s global first-half delivery trend. The company delivered 116,807 fully electric vehicles between April and June, up 5.2% year on year. Across the first six months, fully electric deliveries totalled 204,295 vehicles, down 7.4% from the first half of 2025. Fully electric vehicles accounted for 19.8% of the group’s total deliveries over the first half.
The figures are BMW Group’s own reported results rather than an independent market audit, but they show how uneven the transition to electric mobility remains across regions. Europe is currently providing stronger momentum for BMW’s BEV sales, while the company’s overall performance is still exposed to market conditions in China and other major regions.
Neue Klasse demand remains central to the strategy
BMW linked the European electric growth to the continuing rollout of its Neue Klasse vehicle programme. The BMW iX3, the first model in the Neue Klasse family, is on track to reach 100,000 orders since its sales launch, according to the company. BMW did not say that the milestone had already been reached. The second model, the new BMW i3, also recorded what the company described as strong demand after early ordering for its Launch Edition began in June.
BMW’s announcement describes the Neue Klasse as a central part of its response to intensifying competition. The programme combines new electric-drive and digital technologies with a production strategy intended to serve multiple markets. The company says the technology will also be available in the new BMW X5, which is planned with five drivetrain variants for different customer requirements worldwide.
That approach reflects BMW’s continued emphasis on technology choice while it expands its BEV range. The company is not presenting the latest results as a simple shift away from combustion-powered vehicles. Instead, it is using a broader portfolio to manage different customer preferences and regulatory conditions while attempting to increase electric sales where demand is strongest.
What the announcement means for electric mobility
The most important signal is the gap between regional electric demand and group-wide financial pressure. BMW’s European BEV increase suggests that new electric models are gaining traction in a market where charging infrastructure, regulation and customer adoption are moving in the same direction. At the same time, the global decline in first-half fully electric deliveries shows that product momentum in one region does not eliminate the commercial risks facing a multinational automaker.
BMW also announced an agreement with its Works Council on a workforce restructuring programme, including voluntary severance packages. The measure is part of the group’s effort to become leaner and more agile, but it also underlines the scale of the adjustment now taking place across the automotive industry. Automakers are investing in batteries, software and new electric platforms while contending with slower markets, pricing pressure and changing trade conditions.
For now, BMW’s official update points to a company in transition rather than one with a uniform electric-growth story. Europe is delivering a clear BEV improvement, the Neue Klasse is attracting early orders and electric vehicles now make up nearly one-fifth of BMW Group deliveries globally. But the earnings figures and the regional differences show why the shift to electric mobility remains both a technology programme and a demanding industrial reorganisation.