To coincide with the opening
of the world’s first BMW i Store on London’s Park Lane, the BMW Group will
present the BMW i3 Concept with a new interior colour and materials concept.
Based on the original concept car which premiered at last year’s Frankfurt International
Motor Show (IAA), the BMW i3 Concept is now influenced even more heavily by the
“next premium” approach, and in so doing trains the spotlight squarely on the
issue of sustainability.
Celebrating its premiere at
the BMW i Store is the new BMW i Pedelec (Pedal Electric Cycle) Concept – a
custom-made complement to the BMW i3 Concept. The ace up the sleeve of the
compact bicycle? It can be folded up almost in the blink of an eye and, handily,
there is room for two of them in the boot of the BMW i3 Concept.
The BMW Group will unveil its
comprehensive 360° ELECTRIC package in London for the first time. This
extensive range of products and services provides an extremely reliable,
comfortable and flexible way of experiencing the benefits of electromobility on
a day-to-day basis.
New BMW i sales channels are
designed to give customers a user-friendly and customer-orientated access point
to its range of products and services. To this end, it has demonstrated a
particularly acute awareness of customers’ increasing expectations when it
comes to flexibility within the purchasing process.
New BMW i3 Concept: generous
feeling of space combined with a unique materials concept based around
renewable raw materials.
A mixture of leather, wood,
wool and other renewable raw materials shapes the face of the BMW i3 Concept
interior, the extensive use of natural fibres inside the car underlining the
premium blueprint of BMW i.
The eucalyptus wood used for
the instruments is sourced from sustainably managed European forests. This
ensures that delivery distances remain short and keeps the spotlight on
sustainability through all the stages of production. The wood is treated using
natural materials, giving it a high-class finish and distinctive hue.
A natural tanning agent made
from olive leaves is used for the leather adorning the interior. This extract
from the leaves of the olive tree provides the leather with a natural layer of
protection against bleaching and wear. Production of the naturally tanned
leather – which comes in the new colour tone Cassia – therefore focuses on
maximising durability as well as minimising environmental impact.
The leather combines with the
high-quality wool used for sections of the instrument panel and door trim to
lend the interior a pleasant lounge-style
ambience.
The passenger cell – the Life
module – opens up a generous feeling of space beyond the scope of any
conventional series-produced car to date. There is no centre tunnel bisecting
the cabin, and the interior creates an open and airy impression. The full-width
seat benches in the front and rear allow passengers to swap easily from one
side of the car to the other and climb out comfortably – a boon in tight
parking spaces, in particular. The passengers sit in a slightly raised
position, which allows good visibility in city traffic and makes it easier to
get in and out of the car.
Cockpit shows off cutting-edge interface design.
One of the defining features
of the cockpit is the freestanding steering column, which houses the most
important controls, principally the instrument cluster, start/stop button and
gearshift lever. Other units, such as the controls for the audio and climate
control functions, are integrated into the instrument panel, eliminating the
need for a centre console. Three large displays provide the interface between
the BMW i3 Concept, its passengers and the outside world.
Together, the freestanding
6.5-inch instrument cluster on the steering column and the 8.8-inch central
information display (CID) show all the relevant information, the latter also
providing the link between the driver and various connectivity applications. A
third display below the CID shows the functions of the audio system and automatic
climate control. The displays all share cutting-edge and visually appealing
graphics, and boast outstanding clarity.
BMW i Design: dynamic proportions wrapped up in a new colour scheme.
The design of the body reveals
the qualities of the BMW i3 Concept the first time you set eyes on it. Dynamic
and compact proportions advertise the car’s agility and the sporting prowess of
its electric drive system. The car’s dominant colours are the new shade
Andesite Silver and familiar High-gloss Black, with eye-catching touches added
by the BMW i Blue adorning the logo, kidney grille, door sills and rear apron.
The high-gloss surfaces and the contrast of black, silver and blue combine to
showcase the car’s impressive product substance.
The silhouette: a light and airy “space shuttle”.
Viewed from the side, the
dynamic wedge shape, flowing silhouette and long wheelbase of the BMW i3
Concept catch the eye. From this angle, the exceptional spaciousness of the
interior is already evident from the outside, while the short front and rear
overhangs point to the excellent manoeuvrability of the BMW i3 Concept. The
car’s functional qualities are also underlined by the opposing “coach” doors,
which enable extremely comfortable access to the light and airy interior.
Generously sized glazed surfaces create a light-footed appearance and, together
with the visible carbon structures, lend visual expression to the car’s
impressively low weight.
The hallmark BMW i front end.
The clearly structured front
end of the BMW i3 Concept is dominated by the strikingly designed kidney
grille, which has the hallmark BMW i blue background and – thanks to the car’s
all-electric drive system – is totally blanked off. Below the kidney grille, a
silver-coloured layer lends the front apron its form. Black-painted surfaces
mark out the functional areas of the front end, such as the load compartment
under the bonnet and the air inlets, while pronounced Air Curtains provide the
car’s advanced aerodynamics with an additional visual focus. Another
conspicuous feature at the front of the car are the LED headlights with their
signature BMW i U-shaped design.
The rear exudes practicality
and offers enough space to accommodate the BMW i Pedelec Concept.
The practicality of the BMW i3
Concept is highlighted particularly vividly at the rear of the car. A large,
wide-opening rear window offers optimum access to the rear compartment, while
the upright roof pillars create additional load capacity.
The variable-usage boot can be
further expanded by folding down the rear seats and can accommodate two folding
BMW i Pedelec Concept electrically-powered bicycles, which make it
significantly easier to move around urban areas, in particular, but also
provide increased scope for mobility when you swap the city streets for country
air. A broad rear diffuser and U-shaped rear lights integrated
into the rear window lend
visual emphasis to the car’s powerful stance.
LifeDrive architecture: innovative modular design.
To exploit the potential of
electric drive as effectively as possible, the BMW i3 Concept’s architecture,
chassis and body are designed to meet the specific challenges facing mobility
today. By implementing key features like lightweight design, use of innovative
materials and crash safety today, the BMW i LifeDrive concept has already paved
the way for the electric drive technology of tomorrow. As with a body-on-frame
set-up, the LifeDrive architecture is a horizontally split construction
consisting of two separate, independent modules. While the Drive module, most
of whose components are made of aluminium, incorporates the drive system,
battery and chassis, along with basic structural and crash functions, the Life
module is a lightweight yet high-strength passenger cell made from carbon
fibre-reinforced plastic
(CFRP).
This is the first time this
high-tech material has been used on such a large scale in automotive
production. The concept model also scales new dimensions in weight, structural
strength and crash safety. As well as their benefits for performance and
agility, these qualities also increase the driving range of the BMW i3 Concept.
The LifeDrive architecture is purpose-designed for an electricdrive vehicle –
for example it allows the large battery packs to be integrated entirely
underfloor, in the centre of the vehicle, resulting in both a low centre of
gravity and optimal balance.
eDrive: agile, powerful drive system, emission-free at the point of
use.
With four seats, wide-opening
doors and around 200 litres of boot space, the electrically powered BMW i3
Concept is a practical and intelligent city car which produces zero local
emissions. Its electric motor develops 125 kW/170 hp and produces its peak
torque of 250 Newton metres (170 lb-ft) from standstill. The electric motor
provides the lightweight BMW i3 Concept with dynamic performance and impressive
agility – and not only when pulling away from traffic lights. The electric
concept model sprints from 0 to 60 km/h (37 mph) in under four seconds, and to
100 km/h (62 mph) in under eight seconds. The generous
torque is available across a
wide rpm range, resulting in very smooth power delivery. A single-speed gearbox
sends the power to the rear wheels and accelerates the BMW i3 Concept to a top
speed of 150 km/h (93 mph) – without interrupting the torque.
Power electronics: intelligent and efficient.
Intelligent power electronics
ensure that the electric power onboard the BMW i3 Concept is used economically
and efficiently. If the driver eases up on the accelerator, the electric motor
acts as a generator, converting the kinetic energy into electricity which is
then fed back into the battery. This results in a braking effect which the
driver can make use of as necessary. Alternatively, the driver can select
coasting mode, in which the zero torque control keeps the electric motor
disconnected from the drive axle. In this mode the BMW i3 Concept coasts with
virtually no power consumption, driven solely by its own
kinetic energy.
With ECO PRO mode, drivers can
increase the driving range of their vehicle and reduce their power consumption
at the press of a button. With ECO PRO+, the BMW i3 Concept takes this a stage
further and operates exclusively in range-maximising mode. In this mode the
main electrical consumers such as the air-conditioning and heating systems
operate at minimum power level, and auxiliary consumers such as the heated
seats and heated mirrors are shut down altogether.
High-voltage battery: reliable, durable and powerful.
Another stand-out feature of
the innovative electric drive system is the high power-to-size ratio of the
motor. Since this compact drive unit is mounted over the rear axle, together
with the power electronics, transmission and differential, there is no
reduction in interior space. The power needed to drive the motor and to operate
all other vehicle functions is supplied by specially developed lithium-ion
battery cells. They too are positioned underfloor, in an ideal location. The
optimised design of the high-voltage battery used in the BMW i3 Concept
minimises the effect of variations in external factors on the amount of power
the battery can provide. An intelligent heating/cooling system keeps the
battery at its optimal operating temperature at all times, helping to increase
the performance and life expectancy of the cells. The
battery can be fully recharged
in six hours at a standard power socket. If the BMW i Wallbox high-speed
charger is used, an 80 per cent charge can be achieved in just one hour.
The BMW i concept.
BMW i stands for visionary
vehicles and mobility services, inspiring design and a new approach to premium
mobility that is strongly focused on sustainability. Under this new sub-brand,
the BMW Group is developing purpose-designed vehicle concepts which will
redefine the whole concept of personal mobility. The cornerstones are the use
of innovative technologies, intelligent lightweight design and innovative
materials to create vehicles with minimised weight, maximised driving range,
generous interior space, effortless driveability and optimised safety. Part of
the same family as the BMW i8 Concept Coupe and
BMW i8 Concept Spyder hybrid
models, the BMW i3 is the first all-electric vehicle from BMW i. It will go
into production in 2013.
Sustainability is a defining
feature of BMW i and is applied right across the value chain, from purchasing,
development and production to sales and marketing. BMW i will take efficiency
to new levels in the production of its vehicles: the Leipzig production plant
will achieve additional 70 per cent savings on water consumption and 50 per
cent savings on energy consumption per vehicle produced. Moreover, 100 per cent
of the energy used will be renewable.
Source: BMW Press
BMW is one of those luxury car brands which cars are greatly bought by Indian and these cars are not for everyday commute, but their buyers would buy them for status and not really for everyday use.BMW X series is very famous in India .Now the launching of Bmw India 5 series will establish BMW in India in more pronounced manner.
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