Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) has joined the eco-friendly car market with its announcement of the new i3 concept car.
The BMW i3 Concept is an all-electric city car that features rear-wheel drive. It was announced at the current Frankfurt auto show.
The i3 concept is a five-door hatchback with fully transparent doors. It also sports a roof made of glass. The car is capable of accelerating from zero to 100 kph in less than 8 seconds and has a top speed of 150 kph. Its range, depending on the style of driving and conditions, is rated at 130 to 160 kilometers.
“The majority of current electric vehicles are so-called conversions of traditional vehicles but conversions are always compromises,” said Klaus Draeger, BMW’s development chief. “We wanted to bring e-mobility to the streets without compromise.”
The lightweight nature of the car allows it to use less power to propel, and it is made from recycled materials, so it is is environmentally friendly. The company said that 10 percent of the carbon fiber used in the care are recycled, while 25 percent of the thermoplastics is also recycled.
The BMW i3 Concept also has a number of energy-saving technologies when it is driven in ECO PRO+ mode. In a conventional electric car, running auxilliary features like radios and air-conditioning will sap power from the engine. Driving the i3 on the ECO PRO+ mode will shut these down when in heavy traffic, making sure the driver reaches his/her destination without running out of power.
The company hasn’t announced its pricing, but the i3 Concept should be available in early 2013.
via: Diseno Art
