Nice Clean Car, Road Ready on 2040-cars

Auto blog

BMW i3 wait list grows to six months

This could make one real expensive decision a little easier to make. The latest official word is that BMW remains undecided if or when it will expand its sub-brand of i plug-in vehicles beyond the i3 and i8, but the i3 city EV has certainly struck a chord in Europe. Citing BMW executive Ian Robertson, Automotive News Europe reports that the German automaker is running a six-month wait list for the i3, which started sales in Europe in November. Bimmer has taken about 11,000 orders globally, and about 1,200 of those are from the US, where the car will debut in May. BMW executive Harald Krueger recently said that the German automaker will hold off on making plans to broaden the i sub-brand until more sales results come in. That said, BMW has trademarked all of the single-digit "i" names from i1 through i9, so should these EVs remain popular, BMW has room to grow. We won't be surprised if we do see more vehicles, since BMW North America chief Ludwig Willisch is already on record as saying the US demand for the i3 will likely exceed supply this year. For a taste of why, check out our first drive here. Featured Gallery 2014 BMW i3 View 107 Photos News Source: Automotive News - sub. req. Green BMW Electric ev sales wait list

Can the government mechanically force you to wear your seatbelt? [w/poll]

The National Highway Traffic Administration is considering the use of ignition interlocks in vehicles that would require the seatbelts of occupied seats to be fastened in order to drive the car, Automotive News reports, four decades after Congress moved to prevent manufacturers from installing them in cars sold in the US market. Following a transportation bill passed last year that lift some of the restrictions on seatbelt interlocks, automakers such as BMW are considering the benefits of using them in future cars. Now, before you go crying about your lost freedom, keep reading.
BMW said in an October 2012 petition that the use of seatbelt interlocks would allow the company to make lighter and more spacious vehicles, if the devices could be used in lieu of unbelted crash tests. The crash test has required the addition of bulky safety features, such as knee bolsters, that aren't as necessary when occupants are buckled up, especially when considering the dizzyng list of safety features that come standard on today's cars. Europe, which has a higher rate of seatbelt use than in the US, doesn't perform unbelted crash tests on cars sold there.

BMW will show Mini EV concept at Frankfurt

A month ago, BMW announced that it would electrify all its brands and model lines, including the Mini hatchback. A forthcoming full-electric Mini will enter production in 2019 at the Mini plant in Oxford, England, where the production line would join a German-built electric drivetrain with a British-built body. BMW notes that this will happen exactly 60 years after the original Mini hit the streets. View 5 Photos As the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show is upon us, BMW has introduced the concept version of the aforementioned electric Mini. The manufacturer says the color scheme chosen for the concept matches the previous electrified Mini, the experimental Mini E of 2008. That car was produced in a trial run of 600 units, and it provided BMW with valuable data as it was developing the i3 model, currently on the market. The Mini Electric Concept is powered by a lithium-ion battery, but no numerical specifications or range figures have been announced. It will be interesting to see whether the driving fun inherent to Minis can be translated, as a battery electric vehicle will undoubtedly be heavier than a fossil-fuel hatchback. The closed front grille stands as testament for doing without pistons or a need for engine cooling. Related Video: Related Gallery MINI Electric Concept Image Credit: BMW Green Frankfurt Motor Show BMW MINI Technology Emerging Technologies Hatchback Concept Cars Electric Frankfurt 2017