Bmw X5 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Recharge Wrap-up: VW Golf TDI wins green car award, DC buses might go electric

The 2015 Volkswagen Golf TDI has won the award for 2014 Northwest Green Car or the Year. The distinction comes from the Northwest Automotive Press Association during its Drive Revolution event in Portland. Co-chairman of the event, Jeff Zurschmeide, says, "Volkswagen has led the diesel passenger car market for years, and the Golf TDI proves that they're likely to stay on top for a while." The 2015 Golf TDI has 10 more horsepower than the outgoing model, while improving fuel economy thanks to a new engine. It also has a base price $3,000 lower than the 2014 Golf TDI. Read more in the press release below. The BMW i8 gets its laser high-beam headlights from lighting company Osram. The laser lights use half the energy of their LED counterparts, according to BMW, which is important when one is trying to get every last bit of range out of the car's battery. The laser high beams can also reach about twice as far as LED lighting. Because of their brightness, they won't be available on cars sold in the US. In laser-equipped i8s, the laser high beams will not work below 60 kilometers per hour, nor when other lights are detected in front of the vehicle. Head to Automotive News Europe to read more. Renault has delivered a fleet of 30 Kangoo ZEs to Uruguay's government-owned power company, UTE. The electric fleet will allow the company to reduce its CO2 emissions by 36 metric tons, says Renault. 84 percent of Uruguay's electricity comes from renewable sources, with a goal of 90 percent on the horizon. Uruguay aims to get a third of its electricity from wind farms by 2016, meaning these Kangoo ZEs will be powered in no small part by renewable energy. For Renault, "This order is a further sign of the interest in the region for electric vehicles," according to Denis Barbier, Renault's senior vice president, citing previous deliveries in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Colombia. Read more in the press release at Renault's website. Washington DC's "Circulator" bus routes may go electric. Some of the diesel buses, which were first put to work in 2003, are nearing the end of their life cycle, and DC sees an opportunity to make the switch to something a little greener. "Electric has not been a viable option in previous procurements, but now it is," says Will Handsfield, Georgetown Business Improvement District's transportation director. Handsfield is concerned about air quality, and says he also appreciates the long-term stability of electric rates compared to diesel.

BMW offers M Performance Power Kit for 2012 335i sedan

BMW has let loose a new M Performance Power Kit for its F30-generation 335i and 335i xDrive sedans. Starting at $1,100 for the kit - installation is extra - your car will be fitted with a new ECU and air intake on the functional side and an M Performance engine cover and rocker panel stickers on the decorative side. The Power Kit raises the 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder's horsepower rating from 300 to 320, and on automatic models, torque gets a boost from 300 pound-feet to 332 lb-ft - manual transmission models get a smaller bump to 317 lb-ft.
According to the Bavarian automaker, you'll be able to hear the change in the overrun exhaust note, and 0-60 mile-per-hour times drop by 0.2 seconds. The package is available now at all BMW Centers in the US, and if you get it installed when you purchase the car new, it will get the same four-year, 50,000-mile warranty as the vehicle. Have it done after the fact and the kit will be warranted for two years and unlimited miles. There's a press release below with some more details.

BMW will electrify all brands and model lines, including Mini

BMW has announced that it plans to produce a fully electric version of the three-door hatchback Mini. The car will go into production in 2019, and the battery electric drivetrain will be produced at BMW's Bavarian facilities, then transported to Plant Oxford where it will join the cars. BMW says there will remain a diesel variant in addition to the petrol, plug-in hybrid, and EV versions of the Mini. No prototype shots have been released of the upcoming cars; the current one was unveiled in late 2013. The UK production location isn't the only place where BMW builds Minis, as the former Volvo/Mitsubishi/Smart NedCar plant in the Netherlands has been tooled to build some of the 360,000 Minis built yearly. According to the BBC, UK Business Secretary Greg Clark considers the choice to build EV Minis in Britain a "vote of confidence" despite Brexit, and that it would see battery technology development boosted in the UK. By the time the EV version starts production, UK will likely have already left the European Union. The electrification of the Mini is part of BMW Group's continuing addition of full-electric or plug-in versions to all its brands and model series. Of all the vehicles it will sell in 2025, 15-25 percent will be electrified in one way or the other. Similarly to Volvo, BMW sees flexible production to be in a key position in the future: The facilities would have to be able to build all versions at the same time, as markets fluctuate depending on incentives and infrastructure. If EVs sell strongly, the production process can quickly respond to the demand. An electric Mini underwent trials back in 2008, so the full-scale production vehicle would have over a decade's worth of engineering behind it. Green BMW MINI mini ev bmw group