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BMW Isetta resurrected as Microlino EV

The Isetta "Bubble Car" began its life in Italy in the 1950s with Iso, before eventually being licensed by BMW. Since then, the tiny Isetta has retained a fan base who love the car for its tiny footprint and unique design. In recent years, designers have toyed with the idea of updated versions of the Isetta. The latest take comes from a Swiss company that manufactures scooters and kickboards. Micro Mobility Systems has reimagined the BMW Isetta as an electric vehicle. Called the Microlino, the diminutive EV is under development, but Micro brought a concept version to the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year. The company barely managed to pull it off, as the prototype was damaged in a forklift incident not long before the show but was repaired just in the nick of time. Technically, the Microlino isn't classified as a car, so it won't be subject to some of the more rigorous safety regulations, particularly crash tests. It's classified as an L7e motorized quadricycle, similar to the Renault Twizy. In fact, the Microlino's pedestal at the Geneva show loudly declared, "This is not a car!" Micro began taking non-binding reservations for the first 500 Microlinos at the Geneva show, and found quite a bit of interest in their retro-chic EV. The car garnered 500 reservations in 13 days. For the rest of us, Micro has set up a waiting list. So what are buyers getting into? The Microlino uses a 15-kW electric motor that can propel the car to a top speed of about 62 miles per hour, with a driving range of about 60 to 75 miles per charge. The first series production is expected in late 2017, with an estimated price range of about $9,000 to $13,500. That is, if this iSetta EV revival goes better than the last few times the idea was tossed around. Related Video: News Source: Microlino, Technologic Vehicles, Gas2 Green BMW Automakers Green Automakers NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicle) Concept Cars Electric Videos microcar isetta bmw isetta

Will next BMW Project i car be an i6?

BMW may be steadily working its way through the single digits when it comes to the i sub-brand of plug-in vehicles for the next few years. The automaker started with the i3 and the i8, and we heard rumors about an i5 and an i7. Oh, and we've heard about a potential i4, too. None of these have been confirmed. Still, next up is the i6, according to Automobile. There aren't a ton of details, but the all-electric vehicle would be about the same size as the 3-Series line that's long been a workhorse for the German automaker. Like the other Project i vehicles, the i6 would have a lot of carbon fiber in order to reduce weight and help with range extension. The model would also likely have multiple electric motors as well as a state-of-the-art lithium-polymer battery that would provide a big single-charge range, though, again, no specifics on that number. Word got out earlier this year about a supposed i5 model that would be a plug-in hybrid with a gas-powered engine and two electric motors that combine for about 540 horsepower. Other reports said that the four-door sedan would actually fall under the i7 badge. BMW North America chief Ludwig Willisch said this past spring that the sedan in question wouldn't be seeing the light of day any time soon. BMW has already doubled US sales of its two Project i vehicles this year. Through November, Bimmer's sales of its i8 plug-in hybrid quadrupled from a year earlier to about 1,600 units, while sales of the i3 electric vehicle jumped 89 percent from a year earlier to about 9,600 vehicles.

BMW's Vision Next 100 concept celebrates past, predicts future

Forecasting 100 years out is a tough job, so we'll forgive BMW if not everything in this concept comes true in the next century. It's the first of several that will celebrate BMW's centenary this year – concepts from Mini, Rolls-Royce, and BMW Motorcycles will follow later – and aims to guess what and how we'll be driving in the distant future. Although it's no longer a question of if, we still don't know when cars will make the switch to autonomous driving. So yeah, there's a lot up in the air. What this concept promises is more of everything. What this concept promises is more of everything: more comfort, more assistance, and a more intense experience – when you want that. Plus new, lighter materials, increased customization, and of course all the connected smarts you can throw (or will be able to throw) at a set of four wheels and some seats. It starts inside with an out-there dashboard display. Going a step further from the typical head-up display, the Alive Geometry transforms everything in your periphery into a digital blanket of context stretching from the interior to some of the exterior panels. This tessellation of moving triangles is supposed to mimic a flock of birds to bring you subtly changing information about what's going on around you. BMW gives this idea the made-up term of 4D printing. BMW gives this idea the made-up term of 4D printing, as it believes that in 30 years it will be possible to rapidly prototype this flock-of-informative-seagulls design to provide function (the fourth dimension, apparently?) in addition to the physical form. We'll check back in 2046. BMW also notes that displays in current cars will give way to OLED displays and then to the windshield-as-display concept that has been promised for a while and is seen here. About the car driving itself: BMW highlights two new driving modes for the concept, Boost and Ease. Boost is for when the driver is in control, the vehicle doing what it can to heighten the experience and the driver's awareness. It can use the Alive Geometry to show the best line or warn of other cars, integrating all the current active safety tech and more. BMW believes this will allow the driver to improve instead of just going faster. We would have called this mode iStillDriveSometimes, but hey, marketing still has 100 years to come around to that one. The important idea is that the driver will still have the choice to drive.