BMW i reveals electric car concepts

BMW revealed two new electric car concepts that will be launched under its new i brand in Germany early this morning. The BMW i3 city car and the BMW i8 will be the auto manufacturer’s first production vehicles designed from the ground up as electric or plug-in hybrids, rather than starting as an existing model and swapping the gas engine for an electric motor.

The BMW i3 is an electric vehicle designed for urban environments. Formerly called the MegaCity Vehicle, the EV is powered by a 125 kW electric motor that offers drivers an 80-mile electric driving range. The BMW i3 has a 0-60 mph time of less than eight seconds, which is on par with other electric cars on the market, and its high-speed charger achieves an 80-percent battery charge in just one hour.

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We all know that sooner or later all automobiles are going to be either hybrid, electric or hydrogen powered. The one drawback that many of us look at is the overall appeal of the cars. Very few models that are being put out are really all that attractive. For those of us that like to put the pedal down every now and again, there are very few options to consider. That is about to change in a big way. BMW has recently hit the board with their prototype that is just flat out sexy.

This is a hybrid sports car that will hopefully hit the market in 2013 and it is unlike anything else on the market. Having access to 356-horsepower and 4.8 second 0-60 speed has speed freaks sitting up and taking notice that there may actually be a car out there that is both economical and fast.

The 63 mpg tag that it boasts is absolutely unreal in terms of conservation. The combination of electric and diesel offers mileage that is up there with pure electric cars. The difference here is of course the design. This car looks like it belongs on the race track instead of the local BWM showroom floor. The big question is whether it will ever come to fruition or not.

Just how committed is BMW to producing a car such as this and how much will it cost? According to a variety of sources, BMW expects to make up to 10,000 units, but a price tag has yet to be determined. Based on their ActiveHybrid 7, figure that it will cost well over $100,000 for the right to sit in the driver’s seat of this machine.

While it is great to see a company like BMW put a product like this on the market, it is even more exciting to see the image of the dull and goofy looking hybrid shattered. Most hybrid and electric cars are hardly aerodynamic or built to be aesthetically pleasing. This new BMW hybrid sports car release shows that we can have the best of both worlds. It will truly bring in a new era of hybrid and electric car design.

If the car is released as expected and meets with success, it will surely open up a whole new niche. Up until now, the high end electric sports car has been a market that few companies are willing to take a chance. For some reason, it is as though auto makers think that just because we like to go fast, we could care less how much fuel we are burning in the process. Now there will be an opportunity to tear up the roads and keep some cash in our pockets.

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Source: alternative-energy
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