BMW follows Audi to the Formula E exit

BMW will be following Audi out of the electric Formula E series at the end of next year after announcing its departure on Wednesday.

Audi said on Monday it would withdraw as a works team to focus on the Dakar Rally and endurance racing, including an eventual return to Le Mans.

BMW said in a statement a day after pre-season testing ended in Spain that its journey in Formula E was "hitting the home stretch" and the group's strategic focus was shifting.

"When it comes to the development of e-drivetrains, BMW Group has essentially exhausted the opportunities for this form of technology transfer in the competitive environment of Formula E," it said.

BMW's Formula E team is run by U.S.-based Andretti Motorsport, which indicated it was making plans to mount its own Formula E campaign.

Formula E's seventh season starts in Chile in January. Other major manufacturers involved include Mercedes, Porsche, Nissan, Jaguar and Citroen's DS brand.

The series, which is now an FIA-backed world championship, is due to move to a third generation of cars in 2022. India's Mahindra are so far the only manufacturer to have committed to that future.