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BMW 1 Series sedan prepares to fight Mercedes CLA, Audi A3

The entry-level premium sedan segment is pretty hot right now, with the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class doing well for their respective automakers here in the US. Of course, BMW has its 2 Series, but that's currently only available as a coupe, with a convertible bodystyle forthcoming. That all looks to change, however, as our spies recently caught BMW testing a four-door 1 Series sedan that seems to have the A3 and CLA clear in its sight.
BMW's entry-level four-door is expected to ride on the same front-wheel-drive UKL platform that we recently spied in Mini Countryman form. We're pretty sure this thing will launch under the 1 Series line (odds for sedans and wagons, evens for coupes and convertibles), but it's anyone's guess with BMW - after all, the five-door, front-drive Active Tourer wears a 2 Series nameplate.
Look for the 1 Series sedan to launch sometime in 2016 as a 2017 model. Better late than never in the entry-lux segment, we suppose.

Jeep Grand Cherokee, BMW i8, Ford F-150 win 2015 Green Car Awards in DC [w/video]

There were three shiny trophies handed out at the Washington Auto Show last week by Green Car Journal, and they went to three different examples of what "green" means in the automotive industry today. The Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel won the award for the 2015 Green SUV of the Year, the BMW i8 was named the 2015 Luxury Green Car of the Year and the Ford F-150 took the 2015 Green Car Technology Award honor. There is a case to be made that the aluminum body of the new Ford truck will make a bigger impact in the overall fuel usage in the US than almost any other vehicle, given the numbers of F-150s that Ford sells each year. The B20 biodiesel-capable Jeep gets up to 30 miles per gallon on the highway. And the i8 puts all sorts of new, fuel-saving technologies into an attractive package. Looking over the winners, and the list of finalists you can see in our photo gallery, and you can see that the definition of green is expanding every year. You can watch Green Car Journal editor Ron Cogan hand out the 2015 awards in the video below and we'll for sure be paying attention to what wins next year. 2015 Luxury Green Car of the Year, Green SUV of the Year and Green Car Technology Winners Announced WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Green Car Journal has named the Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel its 2015 Green SUV of the Year™ and the BMW i8 its 2015 Luxury Green Car of the Year™, with the aluminum-bodied Ford F-150 earning the magazine's 2015 Green Car Technology Award™. Winners were determined by a jury of Green Car Journal editors and automotive experts. The prestigious awards were announced in Washington, D.C. today at a Green Car Awards™ press conference held during the Washington Auto Show's Public Policy Day at the Washington Convention Center. "These are truly commendable vehicles representing the 'best-of-the-best' in so many ways," said Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal and CarsOfChange.com. "The auto industry's very early focus on small cars and efficiency-for-environment tradeoffs has evolved to now include a more dynamic field of 'greener' models in all vehicle classes. Those wanting greater efficiency or better environmental performance are no longer constrained by limited choices or vehicle types that fall outside their top purchase preferences.

BMW Smart Charging App helps drivers charge for less

As electric vehicles proliferate and people try to conserve energy, moves toward smart charging seem only natural. Now, BMW is offering smarter charging, and it should mean more money in the pockets of its customers when they charge at home. BMW owners who drive one of the company's i vehicles will be able to use the BMW Smart Charging App that taps into a national energy rate database (powered by Genability) to allow drivers to automate charging during off-peak hours when electricity usage costs are lower. Charging vehicles at these lower rates could save drivers as much as $400 a year, BMW says. It's a simple idea, but one that could make BMW's EVs even more attractive to potential customers. The BMW Smart Charging App is initially available to customers who have leased a BMW ActiveE from the company's 2012 test fleet, a group whom BMW dubs Electronauts, and many of whom are also early adopters of the BMW i3. The app will then become available to all BMW i3 and i8 customers beginning in 2015. The Smart Charging App is integrated with the BMW i Remote App, which links with the BMW ConnectedDrive interface to also allow drivers to monitor charging times and vehicle status, adjust charging settings and even adjust vehicle temperature so the car is ready before the driver gets in the vehicle. The Smart Charging App is available for iOS and Android devices. Find more information in the press release from BMW below. BMW Launches First App to Automate the Home Charging Process for BMW i Electric Vehicles. 09.06.2014 BMW Smart Charging App Determines Optimal Times for Charging Electric Vehicles Based on Rates and Calculates Cost. Woodcliff Lake, NJ – June 9, 2014... The new BMW Smart Charging App makes it possible for BMW i customers to automatically identify the best rates and times for charging their electric vehicles at home. Developed by the BMW Group and available for Android and iOS devices, the BMW Smart Charging App is integrated with the BMW i Remote App, which allows drivers to get vehicle information via their smartphone. The BMW Smart Charging App has the potential to save customers as much as $400 annually on their electric bills. BMW is the first automotive manufacturer to offer this automated and fully integrated functionality. In its initial phase, the BMW Smart Charging App is currently available to BMW Electronauts.