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Old 04-04-2011, 02:04 PM   #1
AVANTI R5
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Default BMW i3 Confirmed As Mid-Engine, Rear-Drive





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BMW’s in-development electric car, the i3 has been confirmed as a rear-wheel-drive vehicle with a mid-mounted electric motor. It is expected to be for sale by 2013.
Its motor support platform was developed in house and made mostly of carbon fiber. The motor will be positioned ahead of the rear wheels, and the serviceable battery pack will be below the trunk.
Before the i3, BMW will be show a version of its all-electric drivetrain in the ActiveE 1 Series, scheduled to debut later this month at the New York Auto Show.
The more familiar-looking 1 Series model will have a different battery configuration. It will reside between the passenger compartment and trunk. Its cells will not be grouped together, as they are for the i3. BMW said it will announce ActiveE price and a leasing plan details at New York.
[Source: Autoblog]
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Old 01-22-2013, 11:25 AM   #2
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Default BMW i3 to get two-cylinder range extender

LeftLane: http://www.leftlanenews.com/bmw-i3-t...-extender.html













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BMW has confirmed that the all-electric i3 will be offered with an optional range extender when it arrives in showrooms later this year.

Herbert Diess, the head of BMW's research and development department, said that the generator will take the form of a two-cylinder gasoline-burning engine sourced from the company's motorcycle-building division. BMW bikes are famous for their air-cooled flat-twin engines but the i3 will likely be equipped with a water-cooled straight-two that will be similar in design to the 87-horsepower unit that powers the F 800 R.



Where the engine will be mounted is not currently known.

The two-cylinder will extend the i3's range by approximately 250 miles. That is a noticeable improvement over the 60 to 90 miles that the car can travel on electricity alone, but BMW believes that most buyers will never need to turn it on.

"I imagine many buyers will order the range extender to cure their range anxiety, discovering later they need it very seldom," admitted Diess. "For those who plan a daily use of the range extender, the i3 is probably not the right choice and a plug-in hybrid model is a more suitable solution," he added.

More details about BMW's first production-bound EV will be available closer to its scheduled debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next September.
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Old 01-22-2013, 03:43 PM   #3
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BMW iSore.
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Old 01-22-2013, 05:45 PM   #4
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Even the Aztek looked better I think, and that says...well it says alot.
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Old 01-22-2013, 06:27 PM   #5
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I dig it. But then again, I would: CF, lots of glass area, and wacky powertrain. I'd spring for the range extended version, especially since it has a small engine presumably optimized for the role, unlike the case with the Chevy Volt. Of course, only time will tell if this engine will pass US emissions or be sold here.
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Old 01-22-2013, 07:43 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shikataganai View Post
I dig it. But then again, I would: CF, lots of glass area, and wacky powertrain. I'd spring for the range extended version, especially since it has a small engine presumably optimized for the role, unlike the case with the Chevy Volt. Of course, only time will tell if this engine will pass US emissions or be sold here.
How can you justify this but not the Volt? Wasn't your argument against the Volt primarily about Hybrids with range-extending engines?

Just asking - you know more about the economics of these cars than anyone I've ever seen...
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Old 01-22-2013, 11:10 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by manticus View Post
How can you justify this but not the Volt? Wasn't your argument against the Volt primarily about Hybrids with range-extending engines?

Just asking - you know more about the economics of these cars than anyone I've ever seen...
I don't mind the idea of the REEV or PHEV or whatever you call it. I just don't like the Volt itself for its packaging, interior, or aesthetics. The i3, at least in its concept form, addresses those complaints, plus I like the idea of using a small engine at peak efficiency rather than a random one from the GM parts bin that doesn't even run on the Atkinson cycle.

Wrt the economics, one expects that a carbon fiber BMW will be a premium vehicle at a premium price, so the extra money for the range extender isn't as big of a deal.
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Old 02-24-2013, 07:01 PM   #8
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BMW i3 and i8 development mule test ride: http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/ne...ll-electric-i3

http://i.imgur.com/Zop2tOG.jpg

CNs:

- £38,000 estimated price
- 140 miles on Euro test cycle (LEAF pre-'13 gets 109 miles on this test, for reference), exact pack kWh not specified
- 168 hp and 185 ft-lbs pushing 1250 kg from 0-100 km/h in 7.2 seconds
- optional range extender, the engine sourced from BMW's C 650 GT scooter, which sounds like it'll maintain charge alone for up to 200 miles
- skinny LRR tires! 155/70-19 and 175/65-19 stock
- no B pillar, no door frames courtesy of the carbon fiber shell
- high seating position, big glass area, and "excellent visibility", praise be

Sounds good to me, especially given winter testing per the article and the like. (There are LEAF winter testing videos, too, but it's still good to see all the bases covered.)
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Old 02-24-2013, 10:39 PM   #9
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When it comes to EVs, "Mid-Engine" is disingenuous. For a better comparison, tell me where the battery is mounted instead.
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Old 02-25-2013, 09:54 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by Calamity Jesus View Post
When it comes to EVs, "Mid-Engine" is disingenuous. For a better comparison, tell me where the battery is mounted instead.
They did
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Old 02-25-2013, 12:35 PM   #11
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BMW iSore.

****, the more I look at this thing, the more I really start to like it. I had a feeling my hatchback loving side would win me over.
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Old 02-25-2013, 02:52 PM   #12
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Looks better than a Nissian Cube or Scions
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Old 02-25-2013, 04:29 PM   #13
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38k pounds? Ouch.
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Old 02-25-2013, 05:03 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by keepclam View Post
38k pounds? Ouch.
That's with VAT. I'd wager $45k USD pre-credit.
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Old 02-25-2013, 05:31 PM   #15
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Wow! That is really sharp.

I like.
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Old 02-25-2013, 06:22 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shikataganai View Post
I don't mind the idea of the REEV or PHEV or whatever you call it. I just don't like the Volt itself for its packaging, interior, or aesthetics. The i3, at least in its concept form, addresses those complaints, plus I like the idea of using a small engine at peak efficiency rather than a random one from the GM parts bin that doesn't even run on the Atkinson cycle.

Wrt the economics, one expects that a carbon fiber BMW will be a premium vehicle at a premium price, so the extra money for the range extender isn't as big of a deal.
I don't think you have much of a leg to stand on since this came from their (BMW's) parts bin...

The same exact things could be said for the volt since it had many features only found in luxury cars when it debuted and the owner satisfaction certainly supports the notion people like it who own it.

Anyway I like this, but I still would not get it since it has many problems as well. Furthermore you can tell from the quote
Quote:
"I imagine many buyers will order the range extender to cure their range anxiety, discovering later they need it very seldom," admitted Diess. For those who plan a daily use of the range extender, the i3 is probably not the right choice and a plug-in hybrid model is a more suitable solution
That it is very underpowered. That is a good thing though in a safety net sort of scenario, but a bad thing if you want to drive across the country. So basically this is a fancy Nissan Leaf with a generator thrown in that BMW doesn't anticipate anyone actually using It certainly doesn't therefore beat out anything else in terms of making sense. This is the epitome of a bad economic decision. Buying a thing that is not meant to be used by the people who make it. I think it is a fine idea by BMW though if people need this to jump to EVs.
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Old 02-25-2013, 07:17 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by sxotty View Post
I don't think you have much of a leg to stand on since this came from their (BMW's) parts bin...
I don't know of any other BMWs with a carbon fiber shell. Do you? The drivetrain is from the parts bin in that the ActiveE has been the testbed, I suppose, but that's stretching it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sxotty View Post
[The REx] is very underpowered. That is a good thing though in a safety net sort of scenario, but a bad thing if you want to drive across the country. So basically this is a fancy Nissan Leaf with a generator thrown in that BMW doesn't anticipate anyone actually using
The engine is purportedly from the C 650 GT scooter, as I wrote above. Said scooter has 60 hp. I'd be damned if steady state mean power requirements for a 1250 kg vehicle topped 60 hp, let alone 40 hp.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sxotty View Post
It certainly doesn't therefore beat out anything else in terms of making sense. This is the epitome of a bad economic decision. Buying a thing that is not meant to be used by the people who make it. I think it is a fine idea by BMW though if people need this to jump to EVs.
I disagree.

Advantages over a Volt: Visibility. Packaging. Battery-only range for the REx version. Presumed driving dynamics.

Advantages over a LEAF (yes, it's supposed to be all-caps): Extra battery-only range for the non-REx version. REx option. Performance. Presumed driving dynamics.
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