2011 BMW i3 Concept at Frankfurt Auto Show

In Frankfurt, BMW out the big guns with two concepts employing power in large parts of carbon. The BMW i3 comes in the form of a minispace to complement the duo�s big brother cut i8.Everyone now knows, the big offensive in the automotive market for electric cars segment. BMW is no exception and has every intention to attack, in terms of sportiness with its cut i8, but also mobility with i3.

This is an answer for those seeking an electric vehicle adapted to everyday needs for use primarily urban. Practice, designed to provide optimum efficiency, the i3 brand with style BMW�s entry into the electric era. Unlike many vehicles, the BMW i3 is not the result of the conversion of a vehicle, but rather a creation of its own. A process that has to rethink the organization of elements on board the car to an enhanced livability.

Stylistically, the i3 concept is strongly oriented towards the car of tomorrow. With its large windows to let in light, its doors for easy access antagonists. He tries to charm the public. Add to that a load volume of more than 200 liters, and you get a vehicle that should convince many. To counter the weight gain induced by the arrival of the batteries and all the artillery necessary to the effectiveness of electric vehicles, BMW has opted for building materials that provide both lightness and strength without adversely affecting the behavior road.

The architecture of the car, called the LifeDrive, combines two modules. Drive module includes the frame, the energy accumulator, the drive system and active functions in a collision. All in a structure consisting essentially of aluminum. Life module for its part is an interior light and resistant reinforced, not surprisingly, by carbon fibers. Its light weight helps to preserve the autonomy of the car while improving performance.

2011 BMW i8 Concept at Frankfurt Motor Show

BMW has launched BMW i8 Concept will be revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show, a sporty plug-in hybrid electric motors and combustion engines after the Vision EfficientDynamics concept.

The Concept i8, very close to the concept Vision EfficientDynamics is a 2 +2 coupe which receives the electric motor of the i3 concept on its front axle and 1.5 three-cylinder block internal combustion high performance of 164 kW � 223 hp or � a torque of 300 Nm on the rear axle.

Both engines are connected by a �Keel energy� housing a battery high voltage but with fewer battery cells than the i3, which is all electric. Physically, the BMW i8 Concept features a low profile, large glazed areas and doors elytra. The cabin, which is heavily loaded with technology, is hosting a large information screen and a screen acting as the instrument cluster.

This combination allows thermal-electric 2 +2 to cover the zero to 100 km / h in under 5 seconds to reach 250 km / h, and not to consume more than 3 in the European driving cycle. The sports coupe can, thanks to its lithium-ion battery into an electrical outlet in 2 hours, 35 km to go all electric, even if there are plans for a mixed operation.

Screens that allow the driver to enjoy this i8 concept of intelligent mobility services � parking assistant, assistant traffic congestion, intelligent navigation in large cities and share premium car �Drive Now� � that BMW has to offer. To develop these new services, make the propeller also invests in young start-ups through its structure i BMW Ventures.

New BMW Concept ActiveE

BMW's incoming chapter in its EfficientDynamics program calls for a newborn all-electric vehicle to complement its underway fleet of leased Mini E electric subcompacts. To fulfill its self-prescribed mission, it enlisted the help of the 1 Series coupe and a revised synchronous electric locomote to create a newborn show car called the Concept ActiveE. It's the epitome of electromobility in the true BMW sense, the automaker claims, and with the Mini E, continues to pave the way towards the eventual content of a mass-produced 'Megacity Vehicle'.

The heart of the concept is, of course, its electric powertrain. Engineers designed the unit to replace the 1 Series' combustion engine, fuel tank, drivetrain, and rear axle. The actual motor is enclosed in the would-be differential casing, while the lithium-ion battery modules take the place of the propshaft and also fit snugly under the front hood. ActiveE keeps the 1 Series's rear-wheel drive layout, as well as its 50/50 weight distribution, and combined with the instantaneous high torque of the new motor, promises to live up to the brand's distinct driving spirit.

Making a grand total of 170 horsepower and 184 foot-pounds of torque, the motor was built to provide generous amounts of grunt at high road and engine speeds. That's in addition to the Concept ActiveE's immediacy of power, as in other EVs. The electric powertrain has been tuned to behave similar to that of a combustion engine, by reducing torque gradually under high load, rather than abruptly. BMW points out that the 3900-lb. car can hit 60 mph in around 8.5 seconds and achieve a top speed of 90 mph.

Samsung's SB LiMotive partnered with engineers in city to develop the innovative power supply. Their lithium ion battery cells are grouped into compact modules that apply individualist liquefied cooling systems to boost the vehicle's 100-mile single-charge range. Thanks to the battery's intuitive management control unit, users hit the plasticity to calculate their container at any number of outlets, disregarding of voltage or amperage. The control unit calculates power conversions and allows the batteries to calculate at a alacritous pace. Engineers hit quoted 3 hours to fully calculate the units while obstructed into a 230/240 volt European-spec outlet. On a more North American-like 32 amp plug, it'll verify 4.5 hours.