Monday, July 29, 2013

i3 is revealed to the world today!

Hard to believe it's finally here. Seems like just yesterday we were cruising Southern California in the MINI E while BMW pondered an electric car. After the MINI E came our current ActiveE and early next year, the i3 will be available to all. Check out these links for all the details...lots of info released today:

Click here to see color, wheel and interior choices.

Click here for full 46 page press release (choose EN for English) along with 165 high resolution photos.

Friday, May 17, 2013

Moses Lake, WA plays a big roll in the new BMW i3

As one who grew up in Washington State near the Columbia River, I couldn't be prouder that BMW chose Moses Lake, WA after a world wide site review as the location for their carbon fiber plant. This plant will provide carbon fiber for the upcoming BMWi line of electric vehicles. Here's a video from BMW about the plant.

Here's a second video with more info about the Carbon Fiber itself.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Touring the BMW i3 Assembly Plant

The folks at MotorTrend recently toured the BMW i3 plant in Leipzig. I was surprised to learn about the lower cost of production as compared to a regular gasoline 1 series. Also, the repair costs that many folks have been concerned about are discussed in detail. Click here for the article.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Autoblog Green article on the upcoming i3

Here's an informative read on the upcoming i3. I especially liked this quote, "Our goal, right from the start, was to come to market with a car which will be emotional and fun to drive and deliver on our core competence which is driving pleasure."

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

News from Geneva!

Today the i3 Coupe Concept was shown in Geneva.  Here is what Dr. Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management, BMW AG had to say about it: 

Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome to the BMW Group!

This is what individual mobility of tomorrow looks like and we will bring it to the road – as early as this year. This stands to show that we don’t just talk the talk. We walk the walk – because we are convinced that e-mobility is the technology of the future. We all know how the world is changing. In megacities, the car can only have a future if we take the right steps to lead it from low-emission to zero-emission technologies today. We strongly believe that sheer driving pleasure will also work without emissions.

The BMW i range offers a broad range of possibilities. What you can see here in Geneva is a variant of the BMW i3 – the BMW i3 Concept Coupe.

And I can tell you this much: Many of the components used for this Coupe are close to the series vehicle. This model highlights the great dynamics of the fully-electric BMW eDrive technology. Just like the BMW i3, the Coupe offers a maximum output of 125 kW or 170 hp. This e-drive is an in-house development – which is what customers expect from a company called Bayerische Motoren Werke AG. The underbody is fitted with lithium-ion batteries that provide the power to the e-drive.

We believe that customers will decide to buy an e-car if they receive compelling offers. Still, success is not guaranteed. But I am an engineer, and as such I know that technical progress and pioneering work require a daring approach. At the BMW Group, we have tackled the issue of e-mobility from a holistic perspective, and let me add: more so than any other automaker.

This means:

  • A completely new vehicle concept, consisting of Life and Drive modules.
  • New materials such as CFRP.
  • Sustainable production.

The media will have the opportunity to test-drive the BMW i3 this fall. I have already driven it quite a few times, and let me tell you: Cruising the city in this agile and noiseless sprinter is, without a doubt, sheer driving pleasure. Unfortunately, our stage is too small; otherwise, I would be happy to give you a little demonstration on the spot. Thank you very much to the BMW i3 Concept Coupe!

The BMW i range is one example of the foresight that we have at the BMW Group. We aim to provide our customers once and again with innovative solutions and attractive services, which meet their individual demands and offer them additional benefits. Proof of this is the vehicle we would like to present to you next.