BMW Sheds Light On Electric Car Plans At Paris Show

Just a few short weeks ago, we reported that senior executives at BMW would skip the Paris auto show this year to hold a seance about how the company should move forward into the electric car future. Of particular interest was the question of whether an unpdated electric version of the MINI would ever get built. But while the suits are off in some swanky resort this week hammering out strategy, the company is telling folks at the Paris show that it will indeed introduce an electric MINI soon, with an electric version of its X3 cute ute to follow.

A new electric MINI will probably be built on the Countryman platform. Plug-in hybrid Countryman concept shown.

CEO Harald Krueger told the press on Friday that a new electric MINI will be in showrooms in 2019 and will be followed in 2020 by a battery electric version of the BMW X3 sport utility vehicle. Both will have “competitive” range and pricing, he said. “Competitors are now in phase one on their electric strategy, while we’re entering phase two,” said Krueger. “We’re already well on our way to electrifying the core portfolio, using powertrain technology from BMW i.”

Those competitors include Tesla Motors, which will introduce its more affordable Model 3 before either of BMW’s new offerings. Chevrolet begins production of the Bolt later this year. Mercedes says it is planning a new division dedicated to electric cars. Volkswagen is taking the wraps off its I.D. long range electric car in Paris this week. Audi and Porsche also have plans afoot to join the electric car party as well. While waiting for its electric cars to arrive, BMW is busy adding plug-in technology to every car in its lineup from the 3 Series to the X5 and its flagship car, the 7 Series sedan.

Where does this leave BMW’s i division? That’s an excellent question. While VW and Mercedes are intent on creating new electric car brands, BMW seems to be going in the opposite direction, applying electric powertrains to existing models instead of crafting stand alone products like the i3 and i8.

The road ahead for manufacturers as the world transitions to electric vehicles is fraught with danger. BMW was fast out of the starting blocks 4 years ago but seems to have lost the plot recently. It remains to be seen if the company can compete successfully with re-engineered electric versions of its mainstream cars instead of building cars designed for electric power from the ground up. It’s a risky strategy that could backfire as mounting the battery low in the chassis underneath the floor — as pioneered by Tesla — becomes the norm.

Source: Bloomberg

2015 Audi TT Good For Up To 54.7 MPG

Next week at the Paris Auto Show, the next-generation Audi TT Coupe and Roadster will make their debut. Riding on the latest Audi Space Frame chassis and sporting a super efficient 2.0 liter TDI turbodiesel engine, the new Audi TT can deliver up to 54.7 miles per gallon.

Without a driver, the new Audi TT Roadster tips the scales at just 2,910-lbs based on high-strength, low-weight steel and aluminum, and engineers also redeveloped the quattro all-wheel drive system. This new system better splits the torque between the front and rear axles, and the new TT is the first to integrate the permanent all-wheel drive system with the dynamic handling system Audi drive select.

This system analyzes road conditions and adjusts its magnetic suspension dampers accordingly. The TT will also be the first Audi to use the new virtual cockpit, which puts all the important vehicle information right in front of the driver. This includes features like navigation and climate control, which traditionally required you to look away from the road. Now everything is right there in front of you.

The real star here though is the engine lineup though are the five engines offered between the TT and sportier TTS models, ranging from the 184 horsepower TDI to a 310 horsepower 2.0 liter turbo. With the turbodiesel engine, Audi says the TT not only meets the Euro 6 emissions standards, but also sips fuel at a rate of just 4.5 liters per 100 km, or about 54.7 MPG. While not as potent a the 310 horsepower gas engine (rated as low as 33.1 MPG) that sends the TT from 0 to 62 MPH in just 4.9 seconds, you can still have a lot of fun with the TDI engine’s 280 lb-ft of torque.

Audi has pledged to make diesel engines a cornerstone of its more efficient American lineup, and so far it’s done a pretty good job. But bringing a diesel sports coupe or roadster to American dealerships would show serious commitment…though it’s much easier said than done unfortunately.

There’s a lot of appeal to a torquey sports car with Prius-like fuel economy, and even though those numbers would fall on the American testing cycle, I still think it’d be a hit with the diesel geeks.

 Source: Gas 2.

Peugeot 208 HYbrid Air 2L Concept Promises 117 MPG

At next month’s Paris Auto Show, the air-powered Peugeot 208 HYbrid Air 2L concept will debut (again) in response to a challenge from the French government to offer 117 MPG vehicles by 2017. Does Peugeot’s unique answer stand a shot at production? The answer may surprise you.

Peugeot started out with a standard 208 hatchback, but from there they threw out the usual playbook and started thinking in less conventional terms. First they started by putting the 208 on an extreme diet that includes an aluminum chassis and carbon fiber-reinforced plastic body panels, cutting another 10% from the already lightweight car. All told the 208 2L weighs just 1,895 pounds, down 220 pounds from stock.

he real star here though is the unique gasoline-air hybrid drivetrain, which captures kinetic energy from braking and stores it in the form of compressed air. A hydraulic pump on top of the gearbox stores the air in accumlators, which replace heavy batteryt packs, and the air can be converted back into energy when the car calls for it. While there have been attempts to build lightweight air-powered cars before, they all suffered from the same lack of power and driving range to make them practical, but the Peugeot 208 2L solves that with a gas engine.

A 82 horsepower 1.2 liter gasoline engine is the sole powerplant offered, though the 208 2L comes with three driving modes; Gasoline, Air, and Hybrid modes, which are all self-explanatory. Peugeot also added aerodynamic enhancements like new alloy wheels and and a roof spoiler to smooth out airflow, making the 208 2L as efficient as possible.

But it’s just a concept car, right? Technically, yes, at least for now, but Peugeot is alrady hinting that the HYbrid air drivetrain is more than just an exercise in efficient engineering. By 2016, Peugeot has hinted that it will bring its air-powered car to the market in another model. The 208 2L will be joined in Paris by a refreshed and well-recieved Peugeot Exalt concept as well.

Hint hint?