ASA FINDS BMW AD ‘MISLEADING’

BMW i3 model

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld a complaint against BMW regarding a paid-for Facebook post, which featured a video claiming its i3 model contained ‘zero emissions’ in the voice-over and subtitles on screen.

The complainant challenged whether the claim: “With zero emissions, the i3 is a clean car and helps to give back to the environment” could be ‘substantiated’.

BMW (UK) responded saying that its i3 vehicle came in one model with the addition of a ‘range extender’ as an option. The firm said this comprised of a small petrol engine that didn’t drive the car unlike hybrid versions and instead, maintained the state of the charge of the battery, allowing the car to run purely on electric. In addition, BMW told the advertising watchdog that the reference to ‘clean car’ ‘should have been interpreted in the same manner as when consumers compare an electric car to their previous petrol ones as electric versions are considered better for the environment.

Despite the VM’s evidence, the ASA found this ad breached the rules, because it does still have a petrol engine, albeit one that isn’t connected to the drivetrain.

“We noted that BMW considered the statement was meant as a comparison between buying an electric car and buying a petrol car rather than not buying a car at all. However, we did not consider that this was sufficiently clear in the ad and concluded that the claim was misleading,” the ASA said in a statement.

The ad cannot appear again in its current form and has told BMW to ensure its environmental claims in relation to all-electric vehicles are clear in the future.

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