2019 Bmw M4 on 2040-cars

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Recharge Wrap-up: Nissan Leaf in Puerto Rico, BMW i3 REx tax-free in NJ, BC2BC cancelled [UPDATE]

*UPDATE: Nissan has released a video of the Leaf in Puerto Rico, so we've embedded it below. Envia Systems will develop battery technology for United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC), a subsidiary of the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR). The $7.7 million contract, co-funded by the US Department of Energy (DOE), involves a 36-month development program focusing on high-energy cathode and anode material for lithium-ion batteries and pouch cells for electric vehicles. The goal, of course, is to create better energy storage for less money in an effort to make commercial EVs more efficient and affordable. For the DOE, this also equates to energy security, energy independence and national security. Read more in the press release at the bottom of the page. The US and China have agreed to work together more closely on EVs, energy and climate issues. US Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz went to Beijing for the sixth US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue to meet with leaders. While there, Moniz and Wu Xinxiong of China's National Energy Administration (NEA) signed a memorandum of understanding allowing the DOE and NEA to share information regarding oil reserves. The groups will meet yearly to learn more about how each other manages petroleum stockpiles and policy. Moniz also met with Minister Miao Wei of the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and signed an MOU to cooperate on electric vehicles and "related technologies," including the "inter-operability of electric vehicles." Read more at the Energy Department website. August's BC2BC all-electric vehicle rally, billed as the largest gathering of electric vehicles, has been cancelled. The event, which was to include a drive up the entire coast from Mexico to British Columbia with smaller events along the route, failed to bring in the needed sponsorship to hold the rally for its third year. A Facebook post from organizer Tony Williams also cited loss of venue and lack of support from automakers - "particularly Nissan and Tesla" - as hardships. The event was scheduled to take place August 9 through 17, with only battery electric vehicles invited to take part - no plug-in hybrids or range-extended vehicles. Williams said he'd only try a similar event in the future if sponsorship were provided up front. Read more at Green Car Reports. The Nissan Leaf will finally go on sale in Puerto Rico.

2015 BMW i8 sets everyone's tongues wagging in Northern Michigan

Like few other cars we can remember, people want to talk about the 2015 BMW i8. Drive one, and you'll soon find out what we mean. They stop you at gas stations. They accost you in Walgreen's parking lots. They stream out of neighborhood bars, beers in hand.
At least, that was our experience this week during Autoblog's Technology of the Year testing. We had the pleasure of driving the plug-in hybrid BMW sports car up to and around Petoskey, MI, a resort town where seeing such exotics is rare enough, let alone in the off season. It made for some interesting conversations - so we began writing down some of the comments the butterfly-doored coupe inspired. Here's a sampling:
"Wanna race for pinks? I'll go easy on you." - Acne-covered teenage pizza delivery driver in a sad-looking Ford Taurus parked at a Valero gas station near Grayling (which incidentally didn't actually have gas).

2015 BMW X6 stays the course with more power, RWD model

What would this world be without the BMW X6? Oh, sure, the whole coupe-crossover design trend surely would have started somewhere, but BMW was the first, launching its odd duck back in 2008. Much as we like to harp on the X6 (for being less functional and more expensive than the X5 on which it's based), people around the world sure do seem to like the thing, BMW having sold some 250,000 examples since the CUV's birth. And as you first saw thanks to leaked images this morning, the second-generation X6 has just arrived.
The shape is familiar, as are specific styling elements like the larger headlamps (now available with a full-LED treatment) and taillamps, mimicking those found on the X5. Two trims are available - xLine and M Sport - the former taking a more subdued approach, while the latter uses the traditionally bulgy and aggressive M-badged kit, with larger air intakes and matte aluminum grille bars. All X6s come standard with 19-inch wheels, and 20s are optional.
Regardless of trim, BMW will now offer the X6 in three guises here in the United States: sDrive35i, xDrive35i and xDrive50i. Dissecting the nomenclature, that means the first two models will be powered by BMW's 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six, good for 300 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque. The sDrive X6 uses rear-wheel drive, while the xDrive, of course, uses all-wheel drive. Moving up, the xDrive50i uses the same twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 as its predecessor, though power has been increased to 450 hp and 480 lb-ft. All X6 models are fitted with an eight-speed automatic transmission, and BMW says that the new powertrains are more efficient than before, though official fuel economy numbers have not yet been released.