BMW Group has signed a €540-million contract with China’s Ganfeng Lithium for the supply of raw lithium from mines in Australia. The carmaker has restructured its supply chains for its upcoming fifth generation of battery cells. From 2020 on, it will directly source both lithium and cobalt. The raw materials will then pass on to… Read more »
BMW has agreed to supply i3 motors and batteries to Turkish manufacturer Karsan for a battery-electric city bus called the Jest Electric, which is produced in Bursa, Turkey. The synchronous motor that will be used to power the Karsan Jest Electric generates peak output of 125 kW (170 hp) and maximum torque of 250 N·m…. Read more »
BMW has been taking its share of criticism in the EV press lately, because of its lack of new plug-in models, and because it seems to the biggest loser from Tesla’s gains in the luxury sedan segment. But don’t count the Bavarians out just yet. The i3 is as popular as ever, especially in Europe… Read more »
As Norway and the Netherlands have become EV capitals, Germany has lagged behind – according to conventional wisdom, because of resistance from the all-powerful German auto industry, combined with consumers’ love of high-speed, long-range driving on the autobahn. However, this picture is changing quickly. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, this year German sales could… Read more »
BMW introduced the i3s, a more powerful and sportier version of the i3, last fall. For the new model, BMW not only increased the output of the motor, but also developed an innovative traction control system adapted specifically to the instantaneous power delivery of the company’s eDrive powertrain. Now BMW has announced that it will… Read more »
The BMW Group will present 5 EVs at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show, including one new production vehicle, the BMW i3s. BMW recently reported that EVs and PHEVs now account for 5.5% of total sales in the US. By 2025, the company plans to offer 25 electrified models, 12 of them pure EVs. The… Read more »
The BMW Group announced big plans for electrification at a recent event for journalists in Munich. “By 2025, we will offer 25 electrified vehicles – 12 will be fully electric,” said CEO Harald Krueger, adding that the company’s EVs will have ranges of up to 435 miles. The company plans to unveil a new four-door… Read more »
BMW has released details of its 2018 i3, as well as a new version, the i3s, which features a more powerful motor and a sportier suspension. Both will be shown at the upcoming International Motor Show in Frankfurt. BMW will announce pricing closer to the market launch date. BMW describes the new i3s as a… Read more »
BMW was the top seller of plug-in vehicles in Germany in the first half of 2017, with just under 5,000 units registered. The company says it captured about 20% of the market for “alternative drive” vehicles. The BMW has 8 electrified vehicles in the German market: five PHEVs sold under the BMW brand; the i3… Read more »
One of the most interesting questions in the automotive world right now: How seriously are the incumbents taking the threat from our favorite California startup? One answer might be found at a recent event near Munich, where an image of Elon Musk appeared on a screen as a narrator ominously intoned, “We’re in the midst… Read more »