I’ve been a huge James Bond fan since high school. I always went to the cinema to watch every new release as soon as it came out. When I was in high school, that was when golden eye featured the BMW Z3, the 750 iL was in tomorrow never diesand the Z8 was featured in The world is not enough. I thought they had to be the best cars in the world since James Bond drove them. I was so sure that I would only drive BMWs. Good marketing by BMW I guess.
My love for BMW slowed down a bit about 10 years ago when I realized we needed to move quickly to electric mobility. BMW did not have all-electric models widely available at the time. In 2015, the BMW i3 was released in the South African market. I was really excited. I had just finished my PhD in Pretoria and was looking for a job. I immediately looked on the BMW website for all job opportunities. I was ready to join any department. I saw a vacancy for a sales position. In my cover note, I specifically pointed out that I would like to join their team to help sell the new i3. I don’t remember ever getting a response, but I’m sure I would have liked this job.
The BMW i3 received mixed reviews from some circles. Some felt it didn’t look like a “real” BMW. Production of the i3 has just ended. However, BMW now has a very good range of all-electric vehicles. I realize now that my love for BMW has never gone away, because if I had to choose which car to buy right now, my first choice would be the BMW i4 M50! Of course, I would have to raise the money first. The BMW i4 M50 starts from R1600,000 ($97,000).
I had the opportunity to be part of it a few months ago, and wow, it looks like a “real” BMW, just cleaner and better for the environment. One of the main factors that would also influence my decision is the fact that BMW’s new range of battery electric vehicles is now available in South Africa, which is ideal for after-sales service.
Brand loyalty has long been a major influence on customers’ choices when considering the purchase of their next vehicle. However, new research from S&P Global Mobility found that brand loyalty, defined as the percentage of buyers who return to the same brand for their next vehicle, is actually declining in the luxury segment. The search runs from January 2020 to April 2022.
The study also showed that Tesla is one of the big winners. Between March 2021 and April 2022, 62% of buyers who purchased a new Model 3 had previously owned Teslas, showing strong loyalty to the Tesla brand. Are you loyal to certain brands? Will this loyalty influence your decision to go electric? Let us know in the comments below.
Images of Remeredzai
Do you appreciate CleanTechnica’s originality and cleantech news coverage? Consider becoming a CleanTechnica Member, Supporter, Technician, or Ambassador – or a patron on Patreon.
Don’t want to miss a cleantech story? Sign up to receive daily updates from CleanTechnica via email. Or follow us on Google News!
Have a tip for CleanTechnica, want to advertise or suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here.
