Global BMW Group electrified vehicle sales pass 400K mark

In May, cumulated BMW Group electrified sales topped the 400,000 mark with a total of 406,756 fully-electric and plug-in hybrid models delivered to customers since the BMW i3 first went on sale in November 2013.

Five and a half years after it was launched, demand for the iconic BMW i3 continues to grow with global sales in May up 40.0%.

Overall sales of BMW Group electrified vehicles grew by 9.8% in May, as customers show increasing interest in low emissions mobility.

Deliveries of the plug-in hybrid BMW 2 Series Active Tourer quadrupled in May and sales of the electrified BMW 5 Series increased by 40.4%.

Sales of the plug-in hybrid MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 in May were almost three times as high as the same month last year.

By the end of next year, the BMW Group will have introduced ten new or updated electrified models and by the end of this year, the company expects to have a total of half a million electrified vehicles on the roads.

BMW Electric 3 Series Coming In September, Company Cuts Options To Pay For EVs

BMW has announced that is will have an all electric 3 Series sedan on display at the Frankfurt auto show in September. The company is cutting a number of previously available options throughout its model lineup to pay for electric car research and development. Is there anything Elon Musk cannot disrupt? When the Tesla Model 3 goes into production next month, buyers will have a choice of color and wheels. That’s about it. It’s all about manufacturing efficiency. It is cheaper to build 10,000 cars that are essentially identical than to build 10,000 cars that are significantly different from each other.

Here’s what we know about the electric BMW 3 Series. It will have a range of about 248 miles. That’s it. Pretty sketchy info, huh? Even though the the car will be first shown to the public in September, it may not be in showrooms for a year or more after the reveal. Clearly, BMW is feeling queasy about the Tesla Model 3 and wants to respond in any way possible.

But will the electric 3 Series be a purpose built EV with the battery mounted low in the chassis and a frunk where the engine used to be? Or will it be a bastardization of the traditional 3 Series chassis, with batteries stuck here and there? Nobody knows. Just as nobody knows the size of the battery, whether dual motors will be an option, or the price. “Stay tuned,” is about all anyone can say at the moment.

BMW says it has spent nearly $6 billion on electric car R&D recently and will continue to invest heavily in adding electric and plug-in hybrid cars to its selection of models. To help pay for all this, the company is taking a page from the Tesla playbook and simplifying the dizzying array of options and equipment levels in its product range. For instance, it now has more than 100 different steering wheels in its product mix.

“Our biggest lever is to reduce complexity and lower the amount of choices there are,” says Nicholas Peter, BMW’s chief financial officer. For a company that is accustomed to profit margins of between 8% and 10% on its cars, adjusting to life in a world of electric cars is painful. “Profitability on electric cars is definitely challenging,” Peter adds. “Our electrified cars are profitable today, but it’s less than vehicles with combustion engines. Models like our plug-in hybrids need to become more profitable and we need to cut costs to ensure we can meet our goals on profitability.”

As part of the austerity plan, manual transmissions  will be eliminated from the company’s sporty 2 Series lineup. The number of steering wheels will be rationalized. Certain low volume models will be discontinued. Instead of pursuing more pure electric cars like the i3 sedan, BMW says it prefers to invest in electrified versions of its current production cars. That may explain why the long rumored i5 sedan has been axed from the company’s plans.

Elon Musk is on record saying he wants more companies to build “compelling electric cars.” If BMW is focused on reworking existing models to add batteries and electric motors, it’s hard to see how the resulting products will be “compelling.” And diesels aren’t dead at BMW yet either. “We won’t be able to meet regulation in Europe on CO2 without the diesel,” Peter says. “So we’re continuing to invest in the technology.”

It seems as though BMW has one foot planted in the past and another in the future. It is afraid to let go of what has worked so well for so many years and afraid to fully embrace the electric car future. Instead, it has adopted a sort of “muddling through” strategy like many of its peers. That may not be enough to guarantee its survival.

Source: Bloomberg

April EV Sales Results - More Range Equals More Sales

The numbers are in and they show EV sales were up sharply in April, thanks in large part to two electric cars that boast longer range — the BMW i3 and the Renualt Zoe. The i3 now comes with a 33 kWh battery, which is 50% larger than it debuted with a few years ago. Range is now listed at 114 miles as compared to 82 miles for the original. Buyers have responded. Twice as many i3 sedan found new homes in April of this year as did a year ago.

In France, the Renault Zoe, which is a close cousin to the Nissan LEAF, also has a new battery with longer range. Except in base trim, the car now sports a 41 kWh battery and an estimated range of 186 miles in the European testing cycle. That has propelled the Zoe to the top of the sales charts in France and made it a strong seller in many other European countries.

The proof that battery technology is evolving at a rapid pace is that both the new BMW battery and the new Renault battery (sourced from LG Chem) fit in the same space as the smaller batteries the cars came with initially.

BMW is ecstatic about the surge in i3 and i8 sales. “We are therefore well on course to delivering more than 100,000 electrified vehicles for the first time in 2017,” says Harald Kreuger, chairman of the board at BMW. Sales of electrified cars accounted for 3% of BMW’s global business in April.

Sharp eyed readers will notice the chart shown above does not mention Tesla. That is because Tesla does not report sales monthly as the rest of the industry does, nor does it break out sales information by country. Instead it reports global sales on a quarterly basis. For the first quarter of 2017, it said it delivered 25,000 cars — 13,540 Model S sedans and 11,550 Model X SUVs, making it one of the global leaders in electric car sales.

Source and chart credit: CleanTechnica via EV Obsession

Nissan and BMW to Double EVGo Fast Charging Network

BMW and Nissan are leading the way when it comes to accessible EVs with their hot-selling i3 and Leaf models, respectively. Now, the two companies have teamed up to make owning a zero-emission electric car even easier: by doubling the size of the EVGo fast-charging network.

According to the infographic, above, the move will put 90% of BMW and Nissan electric car owners within range of the EVGo network, allowing i3 and Leaf owners to add 75 miles of electric driving range to their day in just about thirty minutes. That’s a significant improvement over my “charge it all day and still barely make it home” experience in Mitsubishi’s iMiEV back in 2015!

You can check out the official Nissan version of the EVGo press release, below, then let us know what you think of the expanded EV network in the comments section at the bottom of the page. Enjoy!

Nissan and BMW Partner Once Again to Expand DC Fast Charging Access Across the US

• An additional 174 EVgo-networked 50kW DC Fast charging stations have been installed across 33 states to facilitate easier longer distance electric vehicle travel for Nissan LEAF and BMW i3 drivers, and all EV drivers
• EVgo is the nation’s largest public DC Fast charging operator, currently offering nearly 670 DC Fast charging stations across the U.S.
• An additional 50 dual-port DC Fast chargers are planned for 2017, through this new Nissan/BMW partnership
• Each of these publicly available charging stations offers both CHAdeMO and SAE Combo (CCS) connectors, suitable for all DC Fast charging-capable electric vehicles in the U.S.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. and WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. – Nissan and BMW, two of the top EV manufacturers, have again joined forces – this time with EVgo, the nation’s largest public DC Fast charging network – to increase public access to DC Fast charging stations across the U.S., with an additional 174 locations in 33 states now available to all EV owners in those markets, and over 50 more planned to be installed in 2017, supported by the partnership.

The breadth of EVgo’s expansive fast charging network now totals 668 dual-port DC Fast charging stations installed and available to all EV drivers across the United States, with access to new chargers continually growing. This expansion, designed to support Nissan LEAF and BMW i3 customers and to promote increased adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) nationwide, builds on the 120 dual-port DC Fast chargers that Nissan and BMW announced together in December 2015.

Nissan and BMW are both committed to supporting greater access to public DC Fast charging across the US, in response to increasing demand from EV drivers in a growing number of cities for access to conveniently located fast charging options – to travel even farther with ease.

“BMW’s continuing collaborations with Nissan and EVgo, further demonstrate the company’s commitment to building a robust public charging infrastructure across the country. We are on the forefront of an industry-wide commitment to support the expansion of convenient and accessible electric vehicle charging options,” said Robert Healey, head of EV Infrastructure for BMW of North America. “The expansion of the plug-in vehicle charging infrastructure will give more U.S. drivers the confidence to choose an electric vehicle, such as the BMW i3, as longer distance EV travel becomes increasingly commonplace.”

“Nissan continues as a leader in building accessible infrastructure to benefit Nissan LEAF drivers as well as all EV owners. Infrastructure for all is a key strategic priority for us as we continue expanding the network of dual-port quick chargers across the country,” said JeSean Hopkins, senior manager, Nissan EV Infrastructure Strategy & Business Development. “We look forward to ongoing teamwork and the continued build-out of public quick-charge stations.”

“EVgo is delighted to expand our partnership with BMW and Nissan, and to be able to bring more loyal i3 and LEAF owners around the country access to our convenient, premium DC Fast charging services. We are constantly looking at strategic ways to expand our network and promote EV adoption to help make every day EV use a reality for our OEM partners and their vehicle owners,” said Rob Barrosa, vice president, OEM Strategy and Business Development at EVgo.

Each location offers a dual 50 kW DC Fast charging station with both CHAdeMO and SAE Combo (CCS) connectors, serving owners of both Nissan LEAF and BMW i3 electric cars, as well as all EV drivers in the U.S. whose vehicles – regardless of brand – are equipped with quick-charge ports. These 50 kW stations can charge EVs from Nissan and BMW up to 80 percent in about 25-30 minutes, as compared to the longer time required to recharge at a Level 2 (240V) charger, currently the most commonly available public charging station.

Nissan LEAF owners can find these chargers using the Nissan LEAF EZ-Charge smartphone app. BMW i3 drivers can easily locate the charging stations with ConnectedDrive in the vehicle, using either the in-vehicle Navigation or the BMW ConnectedApp.

With the majority of these DC Fast chargers already installed and active, these EVgo charging stations are strategically located near shopping and dining establishments along convenient, well-traveled routes. The additional dual-port chargers being installed in 2017 as part of the expansion are also planned to be easily accessible to EV owners on the go.

With this partnership, upwards of 90 percent of BMW i3 and Nissan LEAF drivers can easily take advantage of DC Fast charging at an EVgo station nearby.

Since the launch of Nissan LEAF – the world’s best-selling electric car – Nissan has reinforced its commitment to zero-emission mobility with investments in EV charging infrastructure to serve the needs of LEAF drivers in markets across the U.S. Nissan also recently introduced the new 2017 LEAF, which comes with an EPA range of 107 miles, making it the first affordable EV to get more than 100 miles on a single charge. Nissan LEAF gets 126 MPGe city and 101 MPGe highway on S models, and 124 MPGe city and 101 MPGe highway on SV and SL trim levels. All LEAF models feature an 80kW AC synchronous motor that generates 107 horsepower and 187 lb-ft of torque, providing a highly responsive, fun-to-drive experience.

BMW i is focused on the development of visionary vehicles and mobility services, inspiring design, and a new understanding of premium that is strongly defined by sustainability. The BMW i3, the first all-electric production vehicle from the BMW Group, has won numerous awards around the world and has been the standout in the electric vehicle field since its launch in 2013. Among the many awards, in 2014 the BMW i3 was selected as both World Green Car and World Car Design of the Year. In 2015, the BMW i3 was named Green Car Journal Green Car of the Year as well as Yahoo Autos Green Car. The BMW i3 electric motor was also named to that year’s list of Ward’s Auto’s 10 Best Engines. With a 170 horsepower electric motor, the 2017 BMW i3 is available with a 33-kWh lithium-ion battery, and can travel emissions free for up to 114 miles on a charge. The 360° Electric program, offering products and services to support new BMW EV and plug-in vehicle owners, and extensive investments in public infrastructure underscore BMW’s continued commitment to sustainable mobility.

Source | Images: Nissan.

German Press Says Apple Car Will Be Built By Magna In Austria

Rumors of the Apple Car just refuse to go away. Despite a stony silence from Apple, German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung , reported on April 18 that Apple is operating a secret laboratory for the development of an automobile — in the middle of Berlin, no less. In addition, there are concrete plans to sell the car in Germany. The newspaper, known as FAZ, cites “informed sources” as the basis for its report. It says there are 15 to 20 “progressive thinkers” involved with the Berlin facility.

Last year, the Wall Street Journal reported that Apple is pursuing the development of an automobile under the code name Project Titan. Reuters reports that Apple had hired away Jamie Carlson, a senior engineer formerly employed by Tesla Motors, along with Megan McClain of Volkswagen. It also has landed Vinay Palkkode from Carnegie Mellon University and Paul Furgale of ETH Zurich.

Autoblog reports there are a few more interesting details in the FAZ story. Allegedly, the first-gen Apple Cars might not be autonomous. It will not appear until 2019 at the earliest and it may be available first through a car sharing arrangement as well as direct sales. The most unexpected part of the FAZ report is that the car, when ready for production, will be built by Magna at its factory in Austria.

Magna is a conglomerate that makes major components for many automakers. It also builds completed cars for clients. It is presently involved in the production of the BMW i3 and certain models of the MINI. Reportedly, it would transfer the MINI business to other locations to make room for the Apple Car.

Magna CEO Don Walker told the press last year, “We are, in my opinion, the best contract manufacturer in the world. [With] our ability to do small volume niche vehicle production and help with the engineering and the launch and the procurement … we’d be a logical person for anybody if they have small volume or [are] a new entrant coming out.”

Lyle Dennis, who runs Apple Car Fans, tells AutoblogGreen he thinks the rumored German connection is true. “I suspect this is real. There have been discussions between Apple and BMW. It wouldn’t surprise me if they did build the Apple car there.” Asked to comment on the story by FAZ, Apple characteristically said it “does not comment on rumors and speculation.”

So, there really is no hard information to go on other than some unknown “informed sources.” But operating strictly on a “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” basis, there are just too many reports and rumors flying around about the Apple Car to say that nothing is going on. Something definitely is happening in Cupertino where Apple has its headquarters. Maybe some day we will find out precisely what Apple is up to behind its corporate Cone of Silence.

Source: FAZ, Autoblog Photo credit: AutoBlog

Nokian Rolls Out First Winter Tire Designed For EVs

Nokian makes the first winter tire optimized for electric cars such as the BMW i3. It combines extremely low rolling resistance, excellent grip, and exceptional driving comfort, the company says. It is the first winter tire with an A energy rating and can reduce rolling resistance as much as 30%.

In the good old days of motoring, if a car needed more performance, a manufacturer could just add more cubic inches or raise the compression ratio. Today, range is more important to drivers of electric vehicles that outright performance. It becomes even more of a concern in winter, when cold temperatures have a negative impact on battery power.

“Every mile counts, so when it comes to tires, low rolling resistance is a must,” says  Graham Heeps, editor of Tire Technology International magazine, which named the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 the Tire Technology of the Year recently. “We are really thankful for this significant award. This is also an excellent opening shot for the 80th anniversary year of Hakkapeliittas,” says Juha Pirhonen, vice president of R&D for Nokian Tires.

“We are proud to be able to offer more winter grip, more peace of mind and, in particular, more range to the ever-increasing number of electric car owners with our top class Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 winter tyre. Making transport safer and greener is a leading principle for our product development,” says Pirhonen. The R2 is currently available only in the 155/70R19 84Q size, which is perfectly matched to the needs of the BMW i3.

Nokian is based in Finland, where drivers know a thing or two about winter driving and every driver over the age of 14 is a master of the “Scandinavian Flick.” Its winter tires are born, bred and tested at the company’s testing facility located in Lapland, north of the Arctic Circle. The Nokian Hakkapeliitta is one of the best known winter tire brands in the world. You can learn more about the rigors of the Nokian testing process in the video below.

Which Electric Cars Most Excite Potential Electric Car Buyers

Without surprise, current EV ownership matched historical EV sales fairly well — 33.9% had the Nissan LEAF, 21.4% the Tesla Model S, 16% the Chevy Volt, 6.5% the BMW i3, and then much smaller percentages had numerous other electric cars.

Importantly, I think this indicates that the EV-driver respondents are quite representative of the broader EV consumer market, which bodes well for making broad generalizations from this report.

More interesting than the cars people currently have (which we already basically know anyway) were the electric cars people intended to buy and were most excited about. Naturally, these results weren’t a huge surprise either, as there are just a few very exciting electric models publicly planned for market in the coming few years, but it was interesting to see how the preferences were split. Breaking out results for each model, here are the 7 hottest electric vehicles:

Model 3

39% owners expect to buy next
55% of potential owners expect to buy
53% owners more excited about this than any other new/coming EV
56% of potential owners more excited about this than any other new/coming EV

Model X

12% owners expect to buy next
17% of potential owners expect to buy
13% owners more excited about this than any other new/coming EV
15% of potential owners more excited about this than any other new/coming EV

Model S

10% owners expect to buy next
20% of potential owners plan to buy

Chevy Volt (1.0 + 2.0)

7% owners expect to buy next
23% of potential owners expect to buy
5% owners more excited about Volt 2.0 than any other new/coming EV
5% of potential owners more excited about Volt 2.0 than any other new/coming EV

Chevy Bolt

6% owners expect to buy next
17% of potential owners expect to buy
8% owners more excited about this than any other new/coming EV
4% of potential owners more excited about this than any other new/coming EV

Nissan LEAF (1st-Gen)

6% owners expect to buy next
8% of potential owners plan to buy

Long-Range Nissan

5% owners expect to buy next
33% of potential owners expect to buy
10% owners more excited about this than any other new/coming EV
6% of potential owners more excited about this than any other new/coming EV

There are a few other long-range and competitively affordable electric cars tentatively planned for market, but their release dates are less certain, which likely caused them to rank lower.

However, another reason they don’t have as much buyer interest or enthusiasm may be due to Nissan, GM, and Tesla benefiting from “first-mover advantage.” The Nissan LEAF, Chevy Volt, andTesla Model S were the first genuinely mass-market electric vehicles in the United States. Many more of them have been sold than any other electric car models. Both early adopters and EV enthusiasts eager to join the EV movement seem to trust these companies and want to reward them for their leadership in this sector.

Potential EV Drivers

Current EV Drivers

Tesla clearly stands out, even far above Nissan and GM, in consumer interest. I had a little fun with a couple of questions about the electric car company, and the results were impressive: 54.2% of EV owners/lessees self-identified as fanbois/fangurls (typically derogatory terms), and 28.6% said they were “perhaps” fanbois/fangurls. Interestingly, almost the exact same percentages came out of non-owner/lessee responses — 54.5% and 29.10%.

It’s unspecified why respondents were so enthusiastic about Tesla and its products, but there are several likely reasons. One is that Tesla is 100% focused on fully electric vehicles. Not only does it not produce fossil-fuel-gulping cars; it even stays away from fossil-fuel-sipping plug-in hybrids and extended-range electric vehicles. This, by itself, must endear it to EV enthusiasts.

The company, mostly via well known CEO and product architect Elon Musk, is passionate about combating climate change, air pollution, and oil dependency. This is important to many people, and we like Tesla more for its passion on this front.

Tesla has also demonstrated the ability and desire to produce extremely high-performance and innovative vehicles. The Tesla Model S has broken many auto industry records and turned the general concept of electric cars on its head. Additionally, Tesla is the only company with a super-fast charging network in place, a topic I’ll come back to later in the report.

Tesla has long held plans to release a long-range and affordable electric car. It is widely assumed that Tesla’s batteries come at a lower cost per kilowatt-hour than any other EV batteries on the market. Making that assumption, when Tesla does bring a mid-market car to production, many potential buyers believe they will be able to get “more car for the money” from Tesla than from any other automaker.

Given the reviews of the Tesla Model S and Model X, as well as Tesla’s Supercharger network, many EV enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting a Tesla model they can affordably get their hands on. Even those who have bought or plan to buy a higher-cost Model S or Model X are enthusiastic because the Model 3 will presumably bring long-range, fully electric transportation to millions of people — if all goes as planned. That would mark a huge step forward for the electric vehicle movement.

Caught! 2017 Chevy Bolt Revealed Ahead of CES 2016

Looking a lot like a new Lexus or updated BMW i3, this surprisingly attractive little silver car is none other than the all-new 2017 Chevy Bolt EV, spied totally undisguised just a few weeks ahead of its “official” debut at the CES show.

GM CEO Mary Barra is still slated to keynote the CES show for 2016, too, so it looks like Chevy will, indeed, have something really big to show off — and, as the online magazine Verge put it, “there’s nothing bigger for GM right now than the (Chevy Bolt), which promises better than 200 miles of electric range.”

Expect the final production Chevy Bolt to be ready for delivery to dealers late in 2017 as a 2018 model, and to be priced at under $40,000. About the same as the competing Tesla Model 3, in other words- but that Tesla will have a run for its money if the new Bolt looks as good in person as it does in pictures!

Production 2017 Chevy Bolt Spied

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Source | More Photos: Green Car Reports.

BMW May Be Building A 588 MPG Lightweight Concept

There are rumors floating around that BMW has built a concept car that gets 588 miles per gallon. Very little is known about this BMW concept, except that is said to be a four-door car that weighs about 2,600 pounds. Sources say it uses a two-cylinder range extender gas engine and an electric motor for the rear wheels. That sounds a lot like the powertrain for a BMW i3 REx, doesn’t it?

Supposedly, the car is built mostly of reinforced carbon fiber, just like the i3 and i8. Unlike the i8, it is focused on basic transportation instead of scintillating performance, but it still has a top speed of 112 miles per hour, according to Green Car Reports.

This BMW concept is meant for research only; the company has no plans to put it into production. Still, there are other rumors that BMW is working on a new car that will slot into its “i” family of sustainable cars between the i3 and the i8. BMW says that car will not be ready before 2020. Interestingly enough, the second generation i3 is due in 2020 as well. Is the rumored concept a hint at what the next “i” car will be like, an ultra-efficient family sedan?

Emissions and fuel economy standards will become far more rigorous in the US and Europe by the time 2020 gets here. No doubt the secret BMW concept is exploring ways the company can hit those targets while still providing a satisfactory driving experience.

The mass adoption of electric cars is probably not going to take place as soon as governments and green car advocates might like. In the interim, while we wait for battery prices to come down and for electric charging infrastructure to get built, BMW is serving notice that it intends to have cars available for sale that meet all foreseeable standards by the time those standards go into effect.

A four-door passenger car that gets more than 500 mpg? Where do I sign up?

Electric Cars Proving Increasingly Popular With Customizers

Electric cars may not have broken into the mainstream yet, but increasingly aftermarket parts customizers are taking to vehicles like the BMW i3 as a way to showcase their wares. IND Distribution is the latest to add a bit of custom flair to the BMW i3, though they’re certainly not the first. Are electric cars the hottest new accessory in the automotive aftermarket?

It’s certainly starting to look that way. While IND Distribution really only added some bright blue HRE wheels and took some nice pictures, other shops have gone to greater lengths to distinguish their take on the i3. Some Japanese customizers even went so far as to build a kit out of carbon fiber, like the i3 itself. It’s part of a small but growing trend in the automotive aftermarket feeding an appetite for customized electric cars.

It’s not just the BMW i3 that’s getting custom parts. The Tesla Model S has proven popular with the customization crowd, with companies like Unplugged Performance popping up to offer Tesla owners a way to really make their cars stand out. Famed Mustang tuner Saleen Automotive also offers a kit for the Tesla Model S, as does Germany’s LARTE Design, which tends to focus more exclusively on high-end exotics.

Not to feel left out, tuners have also taken to the BMW i8 supercar with gusto, from wheels to wraps to whole body kits, because $$$$. There’s even a NISMO body kit for the Nissan LEAF that offers a (very) mild range and performance increase.

I’ve also noticed that bright blue and white seems popular with EV customizers. I don’t mind it, but there are other colors out there guys. I’m partial to shades of green myself.

Why so much interest in a market segment that is still so small? For one, electric vehicles get a lot of play in the media these days for a multitude of reasons. Just about anything with “Tesla” in the headline is all but guaranteed to get a decent amount of pageviews (trust me on that one). There’s a lot of hubbub around electric vehicles these days, from how they drive, and whether they’re practical to just how beneficial they are for the environment.

You also have to consider the kind of person that is buying an electric car these days. Generally speaking, EV buyers are younger and wealthier than buyers of a combustion-powered equivalent vehicle. They may not be “car enthusiasts” in the traditional sense, but the kind of early adopter willing to invest five-figures into what amounts to first-gen technology is probably more emotionally attached to their vehicle than the average Lexus driver.

While mas acceptance of electric cars may still be a few years away, there are plenty of enthusiasts and companies that are already way ahead of the curve.

BMW i5 Could Arrive As Tesla Rival By 2018

Unlike many of its rivals, BMW decided to do its plug-in cars properly by developing standalone platforms for the i3 and i8. The result was the creation of two excellent plug-in cars, the i3 and i8, which have left positive impressions with consumers at opposite ends of the luxury car spectrum. The BMW i5 is slotted to fill the gap between the i3 and i8, and rumor has it that Bimmer’s Model S fighter could make its debut as early as 2018, rather than 2020 as earlier rumors suggested.

BMWBlog reports on a rumor from Germany’s AutoBild magazine puts the reveal date of the BMW i5 at sometime in 2018, underpinned by the extended-wheelbase version of the Chinese-market 5 Series sedan. Internet speculation has suggested that the i5 could get any of a number of different alt-fuel drivetrains, including a hydrogen fuel cell stack from technology partner Toyota. The two automakers are also working on a joint sports car project.

AutoBild’s information says the BMW i5 will be a plug-in hybrid using Bimmer’s new eDrive technology, combining a 218 horsepower gas engine with two electric motors. The motor at the front will make around 150 horsepower with a second motor at the rear good for 272 horsepower. When all three motors work together, total output is an exceptional 640 ponies, just 51 horsepower less than the mighty Tesla P85D.

But where the P85D can still travel over 250 miles on electricity alone, the BMW i5 will be limited to about 125 km/78 miles of EV range per charge. Even that’s likely a generous estimate at this early stage, as German automakers routinely game the fuel economy tests that result in optimistic ratings all but unreplicatable in the real world. BMW is targeting annual sales of about 30,000 units with a cost of about €100,000/$106,000, right around where the P85D is priced in America.

There’s also no doubt that Tesla will be updating the Model S in meaningful ways over the next three years, so by the time the i5 hits the market, who knows what Elon Musk might have already unveiled? Some of you might say “A plug-in hybrid isn’t an electric car rival!” but you’re looking at it the wrong way.

Instead, think about it like this. Tesla builds luxury cars that happen to be electric. BMW builds luxury cars across a much wider range of models and drivetrains. They’re still competing for the same buyers, the ones simply looking for an exciting-enough driving experience to drop a hundred-large on. Yes, there are buyers who ONLY want an all-electric car, but there are even more who still want the crutch of gasoline’s convenience.

Will the BMW i5 be the Tesla fighter many are hoping for? Or is BMW still a few generations behind Musk and Tesla Motors? Mark 2018 as they year we find out.

Image: AutoBild

BMW i5 In 2018 To Have Very Electric Plug-In Hybrid: Why It's Important

Grille - 2015 BMW 4-Series 4-door Sedan 435i RWD Gran Coupe

Of the four prestige German auto brands, BMW is clearly the most aggressive in its plans for plug-in electric cars in various segments.

Last year it launched the BMW i3 battery-electric small hatchback and the sexy BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sport coupe.

According to reports out of Germany, the next vehicle in the "i" family will be called the BMW i5--and it will be a plug-in hybrid sport sedan that can run the majority of the time on electric power only.

But the putative i5 sedan will have far more electric capability than the 2016 BMW X5 xDrive 40e plug-in hybrid SUV to be launched this month.

That's BMW's first of several plug-in hybrids with an estimated 12 to 15 miles of electric range under low to moderate acceleration and around-town speeds.

In an article in the German magazine Autobild, as translated by BMWblog, the i5 is described as a unique body and powertrain using some of the underpinnings of the next BMW 5-Series sport sedan.

The crucial feature, however, is that it will use the Power eDrive second-generation plug-in hybrid system the company demonstrated at its Technology Days last fall.

2016 BMW X5 xDrive 40e

That system, which has received relatively little notice in the U.S. thus far, flips the idea of a plug-in hybrid on its head.

Today's plug-in hybrids use a gasoline engine that gets assist from electric motors, which also provide 12 to 25 miles of all-electric range under low to average power demand.

But the Power eDrive system is designed to offer far more electric-only driving for up to 50 miles, with the gas engine used only under maximum acceleration and at highway speeds.

The BMW i5 is said to switch on its engine under maximum power demand only above 36 mph (60 km/h); below that figure, it's electric-only.

In the demonstration last November, BMW executives called Power eDrive the next stage of vehicle electrification.

Its sole goal is to maximize the time a vehicle spends in electric-only mode--which naturally boosts its efficiency.

The system shown employed  a 200-kilowatt (268-horsepower) electric motor to power the rear wheels of a BMW 5-Series GT development prototype.

That amount of power plus a battery pack of up to 20 kilowatt-hours would enable the vehicle to run much of the time solely on electric power.

BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Power eDrive prototype

For longer distances, a combined engine-motor-transmission combination powers the front wheels as well, meaning Power eDrive vehicles are technically through-the-road hybrids as well.

The front motor alone is rated at 150 kW (201 hp), on top of the engine output. With a total output of more than 500 kW (670 hp), BMW says the vehicle can operate solely on electric power throughout fully two-thirds of its usage cycle.

In other words, regulatory requirements for vastly reduced carbon emissions have led to a solution that maximizes the electric capability of plug-in hybrids, giving owners more of what they want: electric-only drive without the engine switching on.

According to Autobild, the vehicle in which this powertrain will be installed is said to have the sleek proportions of a 6-Series Gran Coupe.

But it will use some of the underlying structure of the long-wheelbase 5-Series sedan favored in China.

It's not entirely clear that the vehicle described--which is clearly under development, the magazine says--will be called a "BMW i5," since it may not use the carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) body shell and aluminum rolling chassis of the i3 and i8.

2015 BMW i8, test drive in greater Los Angeles area, Apr 2014

But as a vehicle that can operate wholly in electric mode under 35 mph, it's clearly a step toward greater electrification.

The i5 (or whatever it is finally dubbed) is expected to arrive during 2018, Autobild wrote, and BMW is said to be targeting 30,000 units a year at a price in the low six figures.