This is true most of the time, but it might be that the electric car projects were handled as skunkworks. That's often the only way, for a very established incu

This is true most of the time, but it might be that the electric car projects were handled as skunkworks. That's often the only way, for a very established incumbent, to protect substantial innovation attempts from corporate managers. If that was the case, it's not unlikely that the management had genuine technical legitimacy. And that they're easy to poach, with a promise that their technical achievements won't be nullified by corporate politics. (that's pure speculation, I have no insider info from BMW)