BMW ‘i’ up new electric era
Mobility and sustainability have been revealed as the centrepoints of BMW’s new sub-brand.
Previously known as the Megacity Vehicle, BMW i will be the BMW Group’s first series-produced car to be fuelled by electric power alone. It intends to blend the sporting ability of a high-performance machine with the fuel consumption and emissions of a small car.
The sub-brand won’t officially appear on the market until 2013, when the BMW i3 and BMW i8 models are launched, but it is hoped the series will reassert BMW’s place as the most innovative and sustainable premium car company.
“It’s a new day in our industry; a new era for individual mobility,” said Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Sales and Marketing.
“BMW i offers visionary cars and services, inspiring design, and an entirely new concept of premium mobility – all with a focus on sustainability.”
BMW say the introduction of the sub-brand is a response to a shift in customer needs, including increasing demand for alternative drive trains, such as electric drive systems and hybrids.
Both the BMW i3 and i8 models are based on a construction concept known as LifeDrive architecture. An aluminium chassis houses the powertrain, and the passenger cell consists of high-strength but extremely lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP).
Klaus Draeger, BMW Board member responsible for development explained: “Both cars have been designed specifically for their respective alternative drive systems. We used the innovative architecture and CFRP to cancel out practically all of the extra weight added by the batteries. For our customers, this means superior driving dynamics combined with significantly increased range using electric power.”
Both the BMW i3 and i8 will be manufactured in Leipzig, creating 800 jobs.
See also:
No comments yet
