Article Summary
- The massive EV order will cut 3,350 tons of CO2 emissions from the company's vehicle fleet annually.
- Katoen Natie estimates fuel consumption across its fleet will be reduced by 800,000 liters.
- The BMW iX1 and MINI Countryman will be predominant in the new electric vehicle fleet, but the contract also includes the iX3 and i3.
It’s safe to say business is booming for BMW Group Belux. The company has inked a deal with Katoen Natie to supply a whopping 1,000 electric vehicles as part of the logistics giant’s fleet decarbonization strategy. Based in Antwerp, the international logistics service provider has placed the largest EV order ever awarded to a single car manufacturer in Belgium.
By the end of 2027, Katoen Natie will replace more than 1,000 combustion-powered vehicles with EVs. Not all of them will be BMWs, as some will wear the MINI badge. The contract stipulates that the iX1 and Countryman will make up the bulk of the order. However, the iX3 and i3 Neue Klasse are also included in the agreement.
While production of the iX3 is already running double shifts at BMW’s Debrecen plant, the i3 won’t hit the assembly line in Munich until August. The smaller iX1 crossover is scheduled to switch generations in 2027. When that happens, it will also become a full-fledged member of the Neue Klasse family. It remains unclear whether the electric Countryman will follow suit, although that would seem the most logical move.
Cutting The Carbon Footprint
In the meantime, Katoen Natie has crunched the numbers. It estimates the transition from ICE to EV will reduce annual CO2 emissions by 3,350 tons. At the same time, the company expects to consume roughly 800,000 fewer liters of fuel each year. To support the arrival of 1,000 EVs, it plans to upgrade its charging infrastructure and further invest in renewable energy nationwide.
It’s not the first time BMW and Katoen Natie have joined forces. The two companies have already collaborated in Thailand, where BMW operates a factory in Rayong. Katoen Natie provides logistical support for BMW production at the site. The new deal is part of a broader effort to deepen the partnership and explore opportunities in electrification, charging infrastructure, digital mobility services, and logistics solutions.
BMW could attract more fleet buyers soon as it expands the Neue Klasse family with new entry-level models. Although the i1 and i2 have not been officially announced, we believe both are on the way. The former will become an electric 1 Series, effectively filling the void left by the i3 hatchback’s demise in 2022. The latter is expected to serve as an EV alternative to the 2 Series Gran Coupe.
Both models will likely undercut the iX1, which starts at €51,200 in Belgium, where BMW charges at least €61,950 for the larger iX3. On the MINI side, the electric Countryman begins at €41,950, slotting above the €33,500 Aceman and the €30,750 Cooper Electric hatchback.
