2004 Bmw 645ci on 2040-cars

Auto blog

As BMW i3 US launch nears, more details discovered

Think of the BMW i3's gas-powered range-extender as akin to driving around with a middle linebacker in the back seat. Except that football player will have a hard time pushing the car 60 miles or so once the battery runs out. Thankfully, he won't prevent you from getting a nifty tax credit either, according to BMWBlog, which isn't affiliated with the company. The i3's front storage compartment is not watertight. Here in the US, where the i3 will be available in short order, BMW will offer an optional i3 plug-in vehicle with a range extender that will have a 1.9-gallon capacity gas tank. That sounds a good deal smaller than the 2.4-gallon tank used in Europe, but the two are actually the same, the US tank is simply limited to the smaller size, Dave Buchko, from BMW's product and technology communications department, told AutoblogGreen. The complete range extender system – including the tank, the engine, and all related hardware – adds about 265 pounds to the 2,634-pound curb weight of the i3 EV and the extra weight in turn adds about a second to the EV's 0-to-60 time of seven seconds flat. Adding the range-extender won't make the US government take any longer to dole out a $7,500 tax credit for the i3, though. We also learned that the i3's front storage compartment is not watertight since it is only meant to hold the mobility kit and the 110-volt charging cord. BMW recently increased its production of the i3 at its German factory from around 70 units a day to about 100 due to better-than-expected demand. Check out our First Drive impressions of the model here.

Recharge Wrap-up: BMW integrates EV charging into streetlights, EV Fleet debuts electric pickup

BMW has unveiled prototypes of LED streetlights that also serve as EV charging stations. "Light and Charge is a simple and innovative solution to naturally integrate a reliable network of charging stations in the city," says BMW's Peter Schwarzenbauer. Connected to the ChargeNow network, they're simple to use, and would be readily available when tied to the lighting infrastructure. The two prototypes are currently in use at BMW World, with a pilot project planned for Munich in 2015. Read more at Green Car Congress, or in the (translated) press release below. The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is accusing retailers of price gouging E85 to discourage its use. An RFA study found that retailers in St. Louis were marking up E85 as much as a dollar, roughly twice as much as the markup on regular gasoline. "Sneaky E85 pricing strategies ultimately give oil refiners the opportunity to wrongly claim that consumers are 'rejecting' E85," Says RFA president and CEO Bob Dinneen, "and it gives them an opportunity to claim they can't comply with Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requirements above the so-called 'blend wall.'" Read more at Biofuels Digest. Charlotte-based EV Fleet has announced the Condor electric pickup (pictured). The vehicle-to-grid-ready Condor has a 1,000-pound payload capacity, and can travel over 100 miles on a single charge. The company plans to build 300 trucks a month when it revs up production next year, with sales targeted toward fleet managers. See the EV Fleet Condor in the video below, read more at Treehugger, or visit EV Fleet's website to learn more. Here's a bold claim. Mutual fund manager Ron Baron says that every home will have a Tesla vehicle in 25 years. The financial guru, well regarded for his predictive stock strategies, is confident about the long-term outlook for the electric carmaker. He feels that Tesla is far ahead of the electric car game compared to other automakers like BMW, whom he believes will end up switching focus from internal combustion to electric powertrains. Read more at ValueWalk. BMW Group presents innovative street lighting with integrated charging station for electric vehicles. Munich. As part of the Eurocities conference in Munich, discuss in from 5 to 8 November 2014 more than 500 representatives of major European cities on pioneering infrastructure projects, the BMW Group presents the prototype of a highly energy efficient street lighting that is both charging station for electric vehicles.

Recharge Wrap-up: BMW i3 gets Super Bowl bump; CA funds EV readiness

Super Bowl ads sparked interest in the BMW i3 for car shoppers at Edmunds. Analysts at the automotive website reported that traffic increased for the BMW i3 by 583 percent by the end of Super Bowl XLIX, second only to the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT (up a whopping 2,189 percent). Having aired its ad in the first half of the game, the BMW i3's traffic increased 1,807 percent during halftime, while the BMW i8 saw a 501-percent spike during the same period. Read more in the press release below. Mahindra is making progress with the GenZe electric scooter and electric bicycles in Portland, Oregon. While no official launch date for the GenZe has been set for Portland, Mahindra is holding events and offering test drives. The GenZe 2.0 will start at $2,999, and offers over 30 miles of range per charge. Mahindra sees Portland as a good resource for technology and design partners as it pursues electric urban mobility. Read more in the interview with Mahindra's Yesim Erez at Portland Business Journal. The California Energy Commission will award nearly $1.3 million in Zero Emission Vehicle Readiness grants. The grants will go toward three categories: Plug-in Electric Vehicle (PEV) Readiness Plan Implementation, PEV Readiness Plan Development and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Readiness. The funds will go towards projects like installation of EV chargers, permitting and inspections, developing local codes, EV promotion and creating hydrogen infrastructure plans. Each grant awarded will be worth between $50,000 and $300,000. Read more at Green Car Congress. Super Bowl Advertisers Mercedes-Benz and BMW See Biggest Increases in Car Shopper Interest on Edmunds.com SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercedes-Benz and BMW saw the most significant spikes in traffic on Edmunds.com after their ads ran during Super Bowl XLIX, according to a real-time analysis by the car shopping website. By the end of the game, the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT had the biggest cumulative spike in traffic, with a 2189% jump over previous Sunday averages on Edmunds.com. The BMW i3 captured the second most buzz on Edmunds.com; its cumulative traffic climbed 583%. "Even though these two advertised vehicles are likely to be sold in small volume to niche audiences, the BMW and Mercedes brands will enjoy the overall buzz they have generated, especially as both continue their efforts to grow their overall reach into new car shopper segments," said Edmunds.com Sr. Analyst Jessica Caldwell.