BMW has unveiled its two electric and hybrid sub-brands in Munich today (21 February) that will be made using carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP).
The automaker revealed details of its new i3 electric and i8 plug-in hybrid to be manufactured at its Leipzig plant after an investment of EUR400m (US$546m) creating 800 jobs by 2013.
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BMW is also significantly expanding its vehicle and powertrain range and so called premium mobility services – connecting drivers with available parking, smart navigation using real time traffic information, intermodal transport linking in with public transport and car sharing schemes – in the next few years. It has formed a venture capital company in New York known as BMWi Ventures with a US$100 investment.
“BMWi offers…an entirely new concept of premium mobility – all with a focus on sustainability,” said sales and marketing chief Ian Robertson in Munich today. The BMWi brand comprises vehicles and services developed since 2007 as part of project i, a think tank exploring ‘sustainable mobility solutions’.
“The i3 – previously known as the Megacity Vehicle – will be the group’s first series-produced car for urban areas to be driven by electric power alone. The i8 meanwhile, is based on the Vision Efficient Dynamics concept study.”
The manufacturer said both models’ construction was based on what it refers to as ‘LifeDrive’ architecture, with an aluminium chassis housing the powertrain and the passenger cell made of CFRP.
“We used the architecture and CFRP to cancel out practically all of the extra weight added by the batteries,” said BMW development head Klaus Draeger. “For our customers this means superior driving dynamics combined with significantly increased range using electric power.”
Production and development efficiencies at Leipzig will be achieved by both vehicles using the same component sets for electric motors, power electronics and high-voltage lithium ion batteries.
BMW Ventures has also taken a stake in New York-based mobile app provider My City Way for information on public transportation, parking availability and local entertainment for more than 40 cities in the US.
A further 40 cities will be part of the global roll out, including Munich.
