German carmaker BMW reported a slight boost in first-quarter sales on Wednesday, driven partially by demand for electric cars, as it hailed the delivery of its millionth fully electric vehicle in a milestone for the company. BMW delivered a total of 594,671 vehicles in the first quarter, a rise of 1.1 per cent on the same time last year, according to a statement from the company. Sales of electric vehicles were at 82,700 during the first three months of the year, representing a 27.9 per cent year-on-year increase.

In March, BMW said it expected its spending on the transition to fully electric models to peak in 2024. The group expects deliveries of fully electric and premium vehicles to drive a slight increase in automotive deliveries for 2024, it said.