Alpina says its customers are not interested in EVs

Alpina, which specializes in producing upmarket BMW modifications, conducted a survey among its customer base and came to the conclusion that most of them aren’t interested in electric cars.

Alpina CEO Andreas Bovensiepen pointed out driving range as the biggest point of concern. According to him, if the company were to produce a battery vehicle with V8-like power and acceleration dynamics, then it would have only 200 km (124 miles) of range at best, which is unacceptable.

The tuner did not say outright that it would never work with hybrids or pure EVs. According to Bovensiepen, he was monitoring the popularity of the BMW iX3 and i4, and the future of the iX lineup seemed uncertain to him.

Alpina has recently refreshed its turbo diesel-powered SUVs, the XD3 and XD4, using the latest BMW X3 and X4 as starting points. Both received new styling cues along with a very mild boost to their 3.0-liter quad-turbo six-cylinders. Power went from 388 to 394 PS (383 – 389 hp; 285 to 290 lb-ft, respectively). Torque rose from 770 to 800 Nm (568 to 590 lb-ft) compared to the old version. Both models now need 4.6 seconds to get from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph).

In March, the company unveiled its B8 Gran Coupe model (see video) with revised looks, new suspension, and an engine capable of 621 PS (612 hp / 457 kW).

In the meantime, BMW keeps expanding its eco-friendly car lineup. The carmaker expects to have nine all-new EVs on offer by 2030, and every fifth new car to be at least partially electrified by 2023.