In 2013, BMW turns another page in their long and prosperous automotive history. For the start time, a full electrical BMW vehicle enters the production lines and a new eco-friendly sub-brand will join the all-encompassing BMW family.

In our opinion, Megacity Vehicle is BMW's biggest bet ever, a hazard some may say, but a necessary step in the right direction according to others. BMW's CEO can't concur more: "The Megacity Vehicle is a must-accept for BMW."

Initially received with skepticism, BMW Megacity Vehicle and Project i, has slowly become one of the most exciting projects within BMW; engineers, designers, and executives, have begun to encompass the new direction and the thrill of building from bottom-up a new sub-make, has conquered whatever fears they all might have.

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Rendering by Autocar United kingdom

This includes BMW's Chief Designer, Adrian Van Hooydonk who repeatedly reminded anybody that BMW'southward cadre values and DNA will continue to live in the new electric car. "Since we're BMW, we don't want to create simply whatever old electric car. We want to evangelize what people so far think is impossible: the combination of joy and cipher emissions", said pattern master van Hooydonk for Business organisation Calendar week.

According to Van Hooydonk, Megacity vehicle will expect and drive as a premium product, and will not be a compromise betwixt looks, operation and condom. The car looks solid, with a college riding position that inspires safety.

With countless hours and coin invested in research and evolution, and recently field tests completed with the MINI Due east, the new Megacity family will drive BMW into a new segment where they intend to go the globe's leader in premium electric vehicles.

Internally, Project i is labeled equally i of the most expensive projects ever initiated by BMW and with the economical downturn in 2009, the projection was presently escalated to an even higher priority. Therefore, BMW has no room for mistakes and the foundation of this projection was ready in 2009 when the Munich-based automaker launched their first MINI E field exam in the U.S..

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"We were the first automaker to put 450 electric vehicles on US roads for daily use. We accept gained and then much insight into living with an EV with our MINI E pioneers over the final year," said Rich Steinberg, Manager of Electric Vehicle Operations and Strategy for BMW of North America.

Shortly, European countries join the MINI E program and a yr later, the feedback received from customers and engineers, is being put to apply in the side by side phase of the project.

Next in line, ActiveE. Launched at Detroit Auto Show this year in a concept form, ActiveE is based on the chassis of a BMW i Series Coupe and features a newly developed electric drivetrain and a lithium-ion battery-packed developed in cooperation with SB-LiMotive.

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To meliorate manage the risks and investments, BMW partnered with SGL Group to open a new plant that will industry carbon fibers to employ in building lightweight cars. With carbon fiber parts produced in-firm, BMW can optimize their production costs and control the pricing of its future electric cars.

Less dependent on suppliers, BMW tin faster and easier adjust their base prices, every bit dictated by the marketplace.

Future production models are also rumored to be extensively using carbon fiber parts, the starting time stride in producing lighter vehicles and fuel efficient.

While two separate projects, both Megacity and Vision EfficientDynamics share some common values. Showtime, both cars are using a layered design arroyo, for the first time featured on the VED Concept revealed last year. 2d, through layering, both cars volition create a visual lightness, forth with physical lightness, in lodge to accomplish the functioning needed, forth with low fuel consumption levels.

Two projects, two different audiences. Ane caters to mobility and urban environment, the other sends a message that a supercar status tin be achieved with less horsepower and more innovation.

2013 is shaping to upwardly be i of the almost of import milestones in BMW's history and nosotros believe the future looks brilliant for the Bavarian automaker.