BMW i3 electric car sales stopped, future recall announced for specific safety concern

2018 BMW i3 and i3s

An obscure safety issue has led to a halt in sales of the BMW i3 electric car until further notice.

The German maker announced a recall for every single i3 sold in the United States, covering 30,542 cars from the 2014 to 2018 model year.

The safety issue that led to the recall and stop-sale follows recent testing by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration.

During recent tests, the NHTSA found that 5th-percentile women—female drivers more than 5 feet tall and weighing between 100 and 110 pounds—showed a “marginally higher risk” of sustaining neck injuries in the event of a frontal crash if not wearing a seatbelt.

Drivers should wear their seatbelt at all times, of course. But if a female BMW i3 driver fitting that profile did not do so, she would be at risk of exceeding the injury limit allowed by the NHTSA, according to a report by BMW Blog last Monday.

2017 BMW i3 REx range-extended electric car [photo: Chris Neff]

The blog obtained a copy of the document specifying and detailing the safety concern. It says a remedy for the issue is still under development.

UPDATE: On December 1, BMW dealers sent the following notice to at least some BMW i3 owners:

Our engineers are about to finish the programming of a software repair solution that will fix the non-compliance issue. The software development is in the final stages and the solution is expected to be available as of mid-December.

BMW released a statement which said its own testing did not reveal the inconsistencies found by the NHTSA, but it acknowledged them and said it will fix the issue.

The issue isn't software or a specific component, but a design characteristic that doesn't properly protect a small, specific portion of the population.

The remedy is expected to involve reprogramming of the airbag control logic.

2017 BMW i3 REx range-extended electric car [photo: Chris Neff]

BMW made it clear that the i3 is completely safe to drive in all conditions when the safety belt is fastened properly.

Unfortunately, the stop-sale means buyers looking at a new i3—which was recently updated for the 2018 model year—will be out of luck due to the safety concern.

The 2018 BMW i3 adds a sportier i3s trim and slight styling updates, though the battery and rated ranges remain identical to the 2017 model year.

BMW gave no definitive timeline for when it will lift the stop-sale. BMW will begin mailing notifications to owners of the affected cars in January 2018.

The 30,542 cars to be recalled for the as-yet-unspecified modification include 29,383 sold to customers and 1,159 currently held by U.S. dealerships.

BMW Planning Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle for 2020

After Tesla and Nissan, I’d argue that no other automaker has invested as much money and talent into electrification as BMW. Beyond the i3 and i8, BMW is beginning to offer plug-in versions of flagship models like the 3 Series, X5, and 7 Series. But BMW isn’t putting all of its eggs into one technological basket, with unnamed sources confirming to AutoExpress that a hydrogen fuel cell BMW to market by 2020.

It’s likely that a fuel cell BMW would be marketed under the “i” sub-brand, alongside the i3 and i8 and potential i5 plug-in sedan. With this news though, one has to wonder if the i5 may not end up as a fuel cell vehicle instead. BMW and Toyota have had an intimate technology-sharing agreement for sometime now, spawning numerous rumors about the fruits of this relationship. A hybrid Supra successor was one potential production vehicle, and a hydrogen fuel cell Bimmer has been bandied about as well.

So why 2020 and not now? Well even though Toyota and Hyundai have rushed out their own takes on hydrogen fuel cell technology, BMW doesn’t think the technology is quite right for production just yet. And because it already sells a zero-emissions vehicle in the i3, it doesn’t have to rush an unready product to market just to meet California’s zero-emissions mandate.

While Toyota and Nissan are going all-in with their respective technologies, BMW is hedging its bets. That may turn out to be the most prudent choice in the end.

2016 BMW 740e the 5th Bimmer with a Plug

BMW has got electrification fever, and the latest model to catch it is the much-vaunted 7 Series. The 2016 BMW 740e eDrive is now the fifth BMW you can buy with a plug, joined by the i3, i8, 330e, and just-unveiled X5 xDrive 40e SUV. In fact, it will share the same plug-in hybrid drivetrain as the X5, as well as introducing a host of cool new techie features, like a removable touchscreen tablet and limited gesture controls.

At the heart of the 740e is a 2.0 liter gas engine and an electric motor that, at least in the X5, combine to produce 309 horsepower and 331 lb-ft of torque. Don’t be surprised if BMW manages to squeeze a bit more power out of its flagship sedan, though a turbocharged inline-six and twin-turbo V8 are also available for power junkies. For those who prefer efficiency, the BMW 740e will offer 23 miles of all-electric driving at speeds of up to 75 MPH, after which the gas engine kicks in. A caron fiber-reinforced core helped BMW shed nearly 90kgs/200 pounds off the new 7 Series compared to the outgoing model, while adding lots of nifty new features.

The BMW iDrive carries on strong, but it’s now coupled to a center-mounted touchscreen and includes five gesture controls allowing you to adjust the volume and accept or decline calls, as well as a programmable two-finger “jab” that can change the radio station or set your navigation system to take you home. BMW also included a removable rear touchscreen tablet that can be used to adjust the climate control and radio volume for passengers in the back seats. Talk about fancy, eh?

BMW isn’t giving out fuel economy or pricing figures yet, and the 2016 740e probably won’t hit US shores until early 2016 at the soonest.

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BMW i3 Electric Car Super Bowl TV Ad

BMW i3 Super Bowl Ad:

BMW i3 Production Delayed As Demand Builds

For four years BMW has teased and taunted us with spy pictures and little tidbits of info about its upcoming electric car program. Finally though the full details andproduction of the BMW i3 have arrived, and it’s everything I was hoping for, and I’m not alone. Already over 8,000 orders for the BMW i3 have poured in, though production delays could hamper next month’s rollout.

BMW had only anticipated sales of 10,000 units for all of 2014, though executives are rightly considering an increase in production, The BMW i3 launches next month in Germany for 34,950 euros, or about $47,399. In America the BMW i3 will launch at $42,275 including destination fee, though the optional range extender will push the price past $46,000. BMW will also sell the i3 in the Chinese and Japanese markets.

A combination of rear-wheel drive and BMW’s emphasis on sportiness could make the i3 a fun and affordable EV, while the optional range extender offers up to 200 miles of driving per charge, while ensuring the i3 is never truly out of juice.

Meanwhile though, BMW has had to sort through a 10-day work stoppage due to a bonding issue with some of the lightweight composite materials the i3 makes extensive use of. Once they can get that all sorted though, the BMW i3 sounds like it could be a breakout EV hit from an unexpected source.

 Source: The Truth About Cars

BMW i8 Specs Finally Release, Boasts 94 MPG 184 MPH Top Speed

With details of the BMW i3 already out in the world, now is as good a time as any to release the sportier BMW i8 specs. With a claimed 95 mpg, 0 to 60 mph acceleration of just 4.5 seconds, and a top speed of 184 mph, it has been well worth the four-year wait.

The BMW i8 was first revealed to the world in 2009 as the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept. Since then BMW has added and dropped plans for a V8 or V10 version, trotted out a sexy i8 roadster concept, and even like Tom Cruise take a concept for a drive in Mission Impossible 4. The BMW i8 will finally make its full, uncamouflaged debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show next month.

So let’s talk specs, shall we? The BMW i8 is a plug-in hybrid with powered by a 1.5 liter, three-cylinder turbocharged engine powering the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission to the tune of 228 horsepower. A 129 horsepower electric motor powers both front wheels, and the two systems can work in tandem or independently. Combined output is a healthy 357 horsepower and 420 ft-lbs of torque.

Using various weight-lightening efforts, including a carbon fiber main structure and carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP), BMW managed to keep the curb weight of the BMW i8 under 3,300 pounds. That is just a few pounds more than the Porsche 911 4S Carrera, the i8’s primary target, and engineers managed to achieve a near-perfect 50:50 axle weight distribution. The light weight allows for a 0 to 60 mph acceleration of just 4.5 seconds, with an estimated top speed of 184 mph. Not bad for a three-banger.

The lithium-ion battery pack provides enough power for up to 22 miles/35 kilometers of pure-electric driving, and fuel consumption on the European testing cycle is estimated at 94 mpg. While that number is sure to change on the American testing cycle, the BMW i8 appears to perfectly blend fuel efficiency with performance.

So you can have your cake, and eat it too, so long as you’re ready to shell out $120,000 or so, the estimated starting price of this fuel-efficient sports car.

Source: BMW

BMW i3 to use motorcycle engine for range-extender option

BMW’s pending i3 all-electric car will offer an optional 2-cylinder motorcycle-derived engine stuffed in the trunk area to extend range to 250 miles.

The vehicle is now on display in Detroit and the configuration is akin to that of the Chevy Volt and more closely to the Fisker Karma, as the gas-powered engine is used only to turn a generator, and is not attached to the drivetrain.

According to Automotive News, BMW’s head of R&D, Herbert Diess says the series hybrid version will be made available the fourth quarter this year when global sales begin. He did not specify price, but said BMW expects to sell them to buyers unsure about their range requirements.
 

 

“I imagine many buyers will order the range extender to cure their range anxiety, discovering later they need it very seldom,” Diess said.

BMW is estimating an initial run of as many as 50 percent of all versions will be requested with the range extender. After some time on the market, and buyer expectations are tempered with experience, the demand may drop to around 20 percent, Diess said.

The actual engine used was not stated, but it could be the 800cc parallel twin such as in BMW’s F800R.

No word was given whether in the event of a crash – as in the Batman movie – the driver could hop into a hidden modular motorbike mysteriously integrated into the wunder E-REV designed with input by former Volt engineer Frank Weber, and ride away …

Source: GM-Volt.com

BMW expands all-electric ActiveE testing in Leipzig

Since too much information isn't exactly possible in some situations, BMW is continuing its electric vehicle user study in Leipzig, Germany. The automaker is working with TU Chemnitz (University of Technology) and Stadwerke Leipzig municipal utility to conduct an electromobility study with long-distance commuters in 15 BMW ActiveE EVs in the Leipzig area.

The project is funded as part of the German federal government's "Electromobility Connects" Bavaria-Saxony. The test will track daily commutes of between 40 and 100 kilometers (25-62 miles) in five phases of 12 weeks each. Test drivers are required to install a charging station at home or work.

BMW has also worked with Chemnitz University to develop a special data logger for vehicles, merging this objective data with subjective answers to a battery of questions. BMW has already collected data from more than 16 million km (10 million miles) of tests of its Mini E and about five million km (three million miles) with its second electric model, the ActiveE. Drivers in US test markets have participated – in Boston, Hartford, New York, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego and San Francisco.

Testing is sure to continue with its third EV project – the i3 – later this year. The i3 with be the first series production electric car produced by the German automaker.



Source: Autoblog Green

BMW i3 gets shot (for commercial?) in Chicago - VIDEO

BMW i3 in Chicago – Click above to watch video after the jump

Yesterday, the BMW i3 made a surprise appearance in Chicago, and AutoblogGreen reader Jim P. happened to be nearby in a really good position with a high-quality camera. We assume that this is a commercial in progress, but it could be some sort of other promotional video. We haven't heard that this car will appear in a movie, so in-house PR seems most likely. We've asked BMW for more information, but we won't be surprised if this one remains secret for now.

Jim writes, "Saw this being filmed today on Wacker Drive in Chicago. Car looks sharp in person, and of course is totally silent." You can judge for yourself in the video after the jump and read all about the i3 here.






Source: Autoblog Green

Official: BMW i3 and i8 revealed - VIDEO

We've just touched down in Frankfurt to get all the details on BMW's new electric cars, but before we get into the nitty-gritty of BMW i, its philosophy and the engineering behind it, here's a brief introduction to the first two models, the i3 and i8. Officially, the two artfully greenhoused cars seen above are 'concepts,' but they're actually anything but. Click through to the jump to read all about them.

UPDATE: Added a few live images, along with the first promo vid. More to come.

Gallery: BMW i3 and i8

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[Source: BMW]

i3

Originally teased as the MegaCity concept, the BMW i3 will be the first vehicle produced under the i brand when it arrives next year. Two structures make up both the i3 and i8's LifeDrive architecture – predictably, the Life and Drive modules.

As its name would suggest, the Life part of the equation is what contains the driver and passengers, and the platforms have been individually developed for each model. In the case of the i3, a lightweight body structure is made up of a combination of aluminum and carbon fiber-reinforced plastics, with the Drive module mounted underneath, obviating the need for a transmission tunnel and allowing BMW to install two bench seats for four occupants in the front and back while providing 200 liters (7.06 cubic-feet) of storage.



Underneath that lightweight body lies the Drive system, comprised of the suspension, battery and drivetrain, along with structural and safety components. A liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery back spans the undercarriage and supplies juice to an electric motor mounted directly above the rear-drive axle. Yup, this a rear-wheel-drive EV hatchback, with the motor putting out 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque through a single-speed gearbox. BMW claims the i3 can reach an electronically limited top speed of 93 miles per hour and make the run from 0-60 in under eight seconds.

An available PRO ECO mode tweaks the throttle and electronics to boost efficiency, and braking regeneration feeds kinetic energy back into the battery pack. Remarkably, BMW also claims that you can charge the battery back to full in six hours using a standard power socket and the i3's batteries can get to 80 percent in one hour using a high-speed charger (we'll be getting more details on both very soon).

If battery power isn't enough for you, the i3 will be available with a range-extending internal combustion engine (dubbed REx) further down the road, although BMW hasn't divulged the exact displacement or how much additional range it will include beyond the projected 80-100 miles on electric power alone.

i8

If a rear-drive, EV hatchback doesn't stoke your enthusiast flames, then the i8 might be more to your tastes.

Unlike the standard i3, the i8 will be a plug-in hybrid, with a turbocharged, 1.5-liter three-cylinder powerplant mounted up front and putting out 220 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque. Combined with the electric motor, the run from 0-60 mph is claimed to blow by in under five seconds, with fuel consumption estimated at three liters per 100 kilometers and seven liters per 100 clicks when driven like... well, a BMW.

The three-pot works in tandem with a lithium-ion battery pack and front-mounted electric motor pulled from the i3 and driving the front wheels, allowing an electric-only range of up to 20 miles on a charge. Put both systems together and you've got a front-wheel-drive vehicle for maximum efficiency, a rear-driver for maximum fun and all-wheel drive for maximum grip. And if that isn't enticing enough, the i8 has a perfect 50/50 weight distribution.

We'll have more about both models and the i brand as a whole in the coming days, but in the meantime, check out the gallery below for the first official eyeful.





Source: Autoblog Green

2013 BMW i3 Spied Cold Weather Testing In Sweden - VIDEO

More video of BMW performing cold weather tests.

BMW Optomistic Concerning its Upcoming i3 Electric Vehicle - 30,000 Units Anually

BMW i3 / Megacity EV






BMW AG aims to sell at least 30,000 units of its i3 electric vehicle a year beginning in 2014.

"We are targeting volume production for the i3," said Ian Robertson, BMW’s global sales and marketing boss.

Robertson said sales volume for the i3 could be "comparable to one of the lower-volume Mini derivatives. However, we can easily increase our output if opportunities arise." Mini sold about 30,000 units of its Clubman model globally in 2010.

In late 2013, BMW will launch the i3 EV, previously known as the Megacity Vehicle, and the i8 plug-in hybrid under its i subbrand, which was born out of the automaker’s Project i group. The i8 two-door coupe is based on the 2009 BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept study. BMW said the plug-in hybrid combines sports car-like performance with the fuel consumption and emissions of a small car.

The price of the i3 is not yet decided, but BMW sources said the i3 will be above 40,000 euros in Europe. "As with all BMW Group products, the BMW i3 will be a premium car," Robertson said.

Initial pricing for the i8 is unclear.

"Our sales will strongly depend on legislation. Not only by big markets like the U.S. or China, but by local city authorities and their terms of taxation," Robertson said. "If a city like Amsterdam or London decides that you get a tax reduction, then sales will boost."

Currently, European countries such as Ireland and France offer a one-time subsidy of 5,000 euros to EV buyers.

Said Robertson: "We are looking at multiple distribution channels – from conventional sales and leasing to different rental approaches, like car sharing. We will also build up communities for such rental approaches, this is why we bought a share of the smartphone app My City Way."

The i3 and i8 also will share parts for electric motors, lithium ion batteries and powertrain electronics. They will be built in BMW’s plant in Leipzig, Germany, alongside the 1 series and the X1.

After the launch of the i3 and i8, the automaker will expand its BMW i lineup to include more vehicles. "The world is changing — and we are driving this change. This is the 'next premium,' " Robertson said. "There is room for a whole family" of vehicles, he said.

With its i lineup, Robertson said that BMW is reaching "a total new group of customers such as city dwellers who are more interested in electronic devices such as an iPhone than owning a car."

Source: Automotive News