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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Sold-out BMW i8 Fetching 50% Over Sticker

That the new BMW i8 hybrid-electric supercar is visually stunning is beyond debate. So, too, is its success in the marketplace, considering that the first batch sold out before the first example ever reached dealerships. Demand for the car, however, remains high – so high, in fact, that a particularly desperate BMW fan just paid more than 50% over the BMW i8′s sticker price to get his hands on one!

Tim Marlow, director of Magnitude Finance, who brokered the deal, explained that “a long-standing client contacted us and said he was desperate to get into (a BMW i8), and asked if we’d heard of anyone willing to sell … (another long-standing client) had one on order, and when we were preparing a package for his latest car. We casually mentioned, it and he said he was willing to sell for the right price.” The “right price”, apparently, is a 50% profit. “We put the pair in touch to conclude the deal and both are extremely happy. The buyer says he is investing in a modern day classic while the seller has made a profit of £45,000 in just over a month,” he said.

So, a win-win, maybe?

Regardless of how you view the actions of the stealership dealership involved, the reality is that BMW has a winner on its hands with the i8. The only question now is whether or not they’ll build any more to try to satiate the world’s pent up demand. What do you think?

2014 BMW i8

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Source | Images: GTSpirit.

In-demand BMW i8 deliveries start in June, and it's more efficient than we thought

Memo to Elon Musk: objects in the rear-view mirror may be closer than they appear. In this case, it's a couple of plug-in BMWs. And they represent the closest thing to a true competitor for Musk and the Tesla Motors electric vehicles.

The German automaker re-confirmed that demand for its upcoming i8 plug-in hybrid will exceed the initial supply batch, though BMW didn't release any specific numbers, Reuters says. BMW will start production next month with deliveries commencing in June for the 362-horsepower i8. The news is consistent with a November estimate from BMW that indicated that the first year of i8s were essentially spoken for in advance.We learned in late January that the number of i3 battery-electric vehicles imported to the US won't meet demand during that vehicle's first year of sales either.

Here's the thing: all these people were interested in the i8 when BMW said the car got the equivalent of 94 miles per gallon. Turns out, those calculations were a bit off. Reuters also notes that the new numbers show the i8 gets 112 MPGe. That's on the lenient European cycle, but if anyone was holding out for an i8 with triple-figure fuel economy, your time (to get on the waiting list) has come.

Motley Fool proposed late last month that BMW is positioned to be Tesla's only real competition when it comes to high-performance plug-in vehicles. The reasoning was that the BMW plug-ins, like the Teslas, are being built from scratch and don't just have EV powertrains dropped into existing vehicle platforms. Whether or not the competition is truly a two-team race is something we're not sure is completely decided yet, but we know it'll be fun to watch unfold either way. Want proof? Check out Autoblog's enjoyable First Drive of the i8here.

News Source: Reuters

2015 BMW i8 Plug-In Hybrid Sports Coupe - VIDEO

  Launching early next year, the 2015 BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports coupe is the second stage in BMW's i-car program, dedicated to vehicles with electric drivetrains.

While it isn't a full battery-electric vehicle (or range-extended EV) like the i3 citycar, electric power is still an important part of the i8--in its performance as much as its efficiency.

That much is clear with BMW's latest video, following on from the laser headlight demonstration we covered yesterday.

BMW says that the i8 will be a proper driver's car not despite the hybrid element, but because of it--and given the touted performance figures, it's hard to argue.

You may already be familiar with the i8's layout. The mid-engined setup uses a 1.5-liter, three-cylinder Twincharged gasoline engine to supply most of the motive power. It's a brand-new engine also set to power the new MINI Cooper and a selection of smaller BMWs in the years to come.

It's surprisingly powerful for such a tiny, lightweight engine--developing 231 horsepower and 236 pounds-feet of torque.

That it's supplemented by a 131 horsepower, 184 lb-ft electric motor on the front axle is a major contributor to impressive levels of performance.

With a combined 362 horsepower, BMW quotes a 0-62 mph sprint of 4.4 seconds. That's barely slower than the Audi R8 e-tron we drove in Berlin earlier this year, and also in the Tesla Model S ballpark--so the i8 is no slouch. Top speed is higher than either the Audi or Tesla, at 155 mph--no doubt thanks to the gearing required by the gasoline engine.

The electric motor also helps eliminate any throttle lag you might have experienced with the turbocharged engine--so it should be responsive too.

The great unknown for the moment is real-world fuel economy. It's safe to assume that the i8 will show off some quite surprising figures, though we've got used to plug-in hybrid real-world economy fluctuating hugely--it really depends just how much you use the electric power.

Even so, in a relatively lightweight, sleek and small-engined vehicle like the i8, we're expecting big things.

Source: Green Car Reports

Is the BMW i8 actually already sold out?

The other day we brought you a report from Reuters, which quoted BMW's global sales chief Ian Robertson as saying that the Bavarian automaker had already sold out the entire year's production run of its new i8. Impressive, sure, but perhaps not all that unusual for a groundbreaking new sportscar from a major automaker, of which only limited quantities are typically built. But is the i8 really sold out?

Our compatriots at Car and Driver chased down the story and report that Robertson's claims aren't exactly accurate. According to C/D, the numbers are based on sales projections, not actual orders taken. So whileBMW may build upwards of 1,900 i8 coupes next year and over 5,000 in 2015, and while they're all expected to sell, that doesn't mean that it's too late to get your order in. That is, assuming you have the $135k on hand and don't mind getting just three cylinders back in return.

News Source: Car and Driver

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

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

BMW i8 Supercar Spy Shots

BMW doesn't seem to be too engaged in trying to hide what the company's new i8 supercar will look like when it arrives – in fact, it's been so kind as to leave the label on one of its prototypes. Our keen-eyed spy photographers managed to snap a few quick photos of the vehicle dashing through the snow in northern Sweden during a little cold-weather testing. The machine you see above will be the reigning monarch of the Bavarian automaker's new sub-brand, i, once it debuts.

Based on the Vision EfficientDynamics concept that starred at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the vehicle is said to pack 2+2 seating, a 0-62 mph time in the 4.8 second range and fuel economy of over 62 miles per gallon (U.S.), along with a supercar price tag. Look to fork over around $200,000 when this beastie touches down.

There's been some indication that BMW will forgo the thrifty diesel engine of the concept in favor of a turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline mill to work in coordination with a hybrid system. While that's bad news bears for diesel fans, the fact that BMW is gearing the platform toward gasoline means that this vehicle will more than likely show up on American shores.



Source: Autoblog Green