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BMW i3 called 'most revolutionary car' since Ford Model T

The Ultimate Driving Machine, or at least one of them, may also be the Ultimate Engineering Success. Consultant Munro & Associates, which specializes in automotive tear-down analysis, pretty much said as much when taking an under-the-skin look at the BMW i3 plug-in. In short, the firm liked what it saw. Presenting at Detroit's Plastic's in Automotive conference this week, Munro CEO Sandy Munro called BMW's first mast-produced plug-in model the most revolutionary car "since Henry Ford's Model T." The car earned big points for its substantial uses of materials that are both lightweight (key for any plug-in's range) and recyclable. BMW has touted these advantages all along. In late 2013, the German automaker went as far as saying its use of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) would reduce customer costs related to both repair and insurance. The i3 went on sale in the US last May and, by the end of the year, moved more than 6,000 units here. It sold almost 17,800 The i3 last November also was named the Green Car of the Year at the Los Angeles Auto Show, beating out models such as the compressed-natural-gas-powered Chevrolet Impala B-Fuel and the Audi A3 TDI diesel. Munro made news earlier this week when it offered a free i3 for anyone who bought the master- or OEM-level version of the report, though the report isn't cheap and that offered disappeared once Munro made his presentation. Check out Munro & Associates' press release below. Munro Discusses Groundbreaking Technology Finds from BMW i3 Teardown at Plastics in Automotive Conference; Offers New BMW i3 for Purchasers of Master-level Report DETROIT, Jan. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- During today's Plastics in Automotive Conference in Detroit, Sandy Munro, CEO of Munro & Associates, Inc., discussed – for the first time publicly – his consulting firm's findings from its extensive deep-dive teardown, costing and benchmark study of the BMW i3 urban electric car. During his presentation, "Deconstructing the BMW i3: Groundbreaking Technology and the Composite Car," Munro discussed the carbon fiber life module, polymer components, recyclability and safety of what he considers to be "the most revolutionary car in terms of creative engineering and manufacturing since Henry Ford's Model T." During the presentation, Munro focused on four crucial aspects of the BMW i3: the manufacturing of its carbon fiber life module; its polymer components; recyclability; and safety.

British automakers take costly precautions as Brexit 'no deal' fears grow

LONDON — Carmakers in Britain have triggered some Brexit contingency plans, such as certifying models in the EU, and are working on redrawing production schedules and stockpiling more parts to defend against any loss of unfettered trade after Brexit. The moves are aimed at ensuring plants, which rely on the just-in-time delivery of tens of thousands of components, can keep operating after Brexit on March 29, but will add costs and bureaucracy which could risk their long-term viability. London and Brussels hope to agree a deal by the end of the year to avoid tariffs and trade barriers, but Prime Minister Theresa May's proposals have been criticized by both Brexiteers, who want a cleaner break from the bloc, and the European Union. McLaren Automotive is looking at having its cars certified by both a British and an EU agency to smooth sales. It is also planning to stockpile critical components and change shipments into the EU around Brexit if there is disruption. "I will sell a little more in January and February and plan to pick the volume up in May and give us a leaner period through the change point," Chief Executive Mike Flewitt told Reuters. BMW, which said last week it would move the annual summer-time shutdown of its British Mini plant next year to April, is looking for lorry parking areas and warehousing on both sides of the channel and is seeking to sign contracts to lease certain locations, a spokesman said. It is also investing in IT systems to handle any new red tape as carmakers estimate tens of thousands of new documents could be needed if tariffs and customs are imposed. The German carmaker's Brexit plans are costing millions of pounds, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. But Honda, which builds 10 percent of Britain's 1.67 million cars at its Swindon plant in southern England, is not in the market to buy "huge amounts of warehousing space," its Europe boss Ian Howells told Reuters. "It's been a very precise calculation or estimation of what components need to be brought in," he said, adding the firm could also alter its output to sell more into the EU at the start of next year. Waste of money? Many British carmakers have also asked suppliers to look into how they would handle delays at ports, executives told Reuters, as thousands of parts, engines and finished models move between Britain and the continent every day.

BMW just the latest automaker to realize China will want a lot of EVs

News about China and cars isn't in short supply these days. With several of the world's largest cities, millions of cars on the road and huge problems with air pollution, it's no wonder that the nation is trying to make some changes. Along with decommissioning many of its aging vehicles, China is also expected to see huge growth in its electric vehicle market. BMW, as other automakers already have done, sees this as an opportunity to sell more cars. "We expect that the Chinese car market for electromobility will become the largest markets for those cars in a few years," says Karsten Engel, BMW's China head. BMW is collaborating with Shanghai's State Grid municipal power company to put public EV charging points at the former World Expo site, and the city plans to create 45 more by the end of the year. These will charge many different vehicles made by BMW and other brands. Tesla, which began delivering its Model S to China last month, plans to build its own supercharger network for the country. BMW plans to begin selling the battery-powered i3 and i8 plug-in hybrid in China this fall. BMW hopes to sell more than 400,000 vehicles in China this year. Fewer than 1,000 of those will be the i3, though, says Engel, due to a lack of supply. So far, China is falling drastically behind its own targets to get EVs on the road. With a goal of 500,000 by 2015, fewer than 70,000 EVs are currently operating in China. This numbers gap doesn't necessarily mean that the demand is or isn't there yet, but more and more automakers are betting it will be, and soon. Volkswagen is planning a fleet of electrified models for China by 2018 (at least 15 models according to Bloomberg). Daimler is teaming up with China's BYD to build EVs (and, of course, Your Dreams). Other Chinese companies are getting into the game as well. Featured Gallery 2014 BMW i3: First Drive View 33 Photos Related Gallery 2015 BMW i8: First Drive View 62 Photos News Source: Bloomberg via Automotive News EuropeImage Credit: Copyright 2014 Sebastian Blanco / AOL Green BMW Tesla Electric Shanghai charging station pollution exports