BMW to launch Megacity vehicle in 2013
Words: AutoTrader NZ
At the Beijing Auto Show, a BMW spokesman said: “With this innovative vehicle, designed from the ground up, we will be creating new benchmarks for electric mobility from 2013 on. Our Megacity Vehicle will be significantly lighter than conventional cars and, in terms of sustainability, will set a new standard across the entire value-added chain.”
The Megacity Vehicle will be a zero-emission car for metropolitan regions. It is currently being developed as part of project i and will be available from 2013 under a sub-brand of BMW.
BMW will use a host of new materials when building the car to lighten the weight, including the ultra-light composite CFRP (carbon fibre-reinforced plastic).
The BMW Group has been gleaning insights into the use of electric vehicles since mid-2009, when it launched a global field test involving more than 600 Mini E models, delivered to customers in China in 2010.
2011 will see the handover of a fleet based on the BMW Concept ActiveE.
The results will influence the development of electrically powered vehicles for the Chinese market. “In the future we will also be offering a New Energy Vehicle in China. This will be developed and produced locally together with our joint venture partner Brilliance,” stated Reithofer.
