??..or spend about 60% of the cost of a BMW and get a Leaf with comperable range and also a distinctive look with the tax breaks.
------------------------------ On Tue, Jul 30, 2013 4:33 AM EDT brucedp5 wrote: > > >Release in the United States are set for the second quarter of next year >(Europe get them first) >% A purpose-built EV, yet reps's comments are ice-serious, not EV, like the >i3 is being sold as a compliance car (??) >Cynical writer does not take into account the lack of available Production >EVs (most sold-out/on-a-waiting-list in CA) % > >http://orig-www.mainstreet.com/article/smart-spending/autos/bmw-i3-enters-electric-scrum >BMW i3 Enters the Electric Scrum >by Ross Kenneth Urken July 29, 2013 > >[images >http://i.thestreet.com/files/tsc/v2008/photos/all-pics/mainstreet/bmwi3-front-offlead.jpg > >http://i.thestreet.com/files/tsc/v2008/photos/all-pics/mainstreet/bmwi3-front-leadms.jpg > > >video >http://vidsource.thestreet.com/index.php/extwidget/openGraph/wid/0_xi2iza1r >] > >NEW YORK (MainStreet) — The all-electric, pint-sized BMW i3 launched today >in New York, London and Beijing to great fanfare and is positioned within >the German automaker's fleet as the mega-city vehicle of the future. >Reminiscent of the Isetta "bubble car" spliced with the "Jetsons"-esque >vehicle from Kubrick's A.I., the sub-compact Bimmer begs a fundamental >question: can the cool factor actually drive sales? > >That's all the more relevant given that Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz led >Bayerische Motoren Werke AG's BMW in U.S. deliveries by 1,519 vehicles after >the first six months of 2013. That's a change from the norm, given that BMW >has held the luxury sales crown in the U.S. for the last two years with >281,460 BMW brand vehicles sold in 2012 compared to 274,134 Mercedes-Benz >brand vehicles sold last year. > >Six years of Munich R&D has gone into pushing forward the Project i >sub-brand, which developed from the MINI E and will also steward the release >of the i8, an EV supercar. To boot, the whole initiative encompasses a >larger-scale sustainability platform, including a BMW venture capital >initiative with $100 million invested each year toward green development ... > >"Make no mistake, the internal combustion engine will still prevail, no >question," BMW of North America CEO Ludwig Willisch told MainStreet at the >New York i3 launch. "But for the next five years, the prediction is that the >(EV) market will go up to 850,000 cars all together, so we're confident we >can have a good share of the pie there." > >Ready-ish > >In a sense, though, BMW's intention here is not to provide a high volume >model. > >The electric vehicle with an ultra-light carbon fiber body with aluminum >frame reinforcement is really still a work in progress, according to Brett >Smith, an industry analyst at the Center for Automotive Research in Ann >Arbor, Mich. > >"In many ways, the i3 is sort of like the Volt [pih] in that it is a fully >functional, user-ready prototype," he said. "It's a real production car: in >a sense it is not an experiment, but it is experimental." > >The point here, according to Smith, is for BMW to put its green foot forward >and brand itself as innovative and of the future regarding alternative, >electric mobility. > >"(The i3) pushes the discussion further in that direction," he said. "It's >intended to be a statement in so many different ways." And that statement >can be made by selling a couple thousand units, with no need to move massive >numbers off the lots. > >That's fortunate, given that the price point north of $40,000 may be a >stretch for most consumers. > >"For a micro car, that's really pushing people's imagination," Smith said. > >Of course, not everyone agrees it's so outlandish. > >"Once the (tax) incentives available are factored in, we think the price >point is actually attractive and this may drive sales ahead of current >expectations," said Paul Newton, research manager of the automotive group at >IHS Global Insight. "Overall, initial entry costs and practicality remain >significant barriers to widespread adoption, but things will grow, albeit >slowly." > >Tech Appeal > >People don't necessarily care if the future has arrived yet—they just want >to be a part of it. > >The EV market may still be in embryonic form and working through the growing >pains, but the early adopters will buy for the same reason they went out to >snag the first iPad. > >"It's a badge of honor," Smith said. > >The car has coach doors, bench seats and a floor absent a divider hump to >make the teensy vehicle more fluid in terms of entering and exiting. The car >has the classic look with the Hofmeister kink (that low forward bend in the >C-pillar), but it has outwardly modern flare with LED BMW kidneys and >U-shaped tail lights to complement the carbon fiber body. > >The i3 retains the powertrain of the BMW Active E, albeit with a lighter >battery load, and maintains the performance with 120 kilowatts of power and >250 Newton meters of torque, hitting 60 mph in 7.2 seconds. The range is >about 80 to 100 miles. > >"Being the spearhead of change means taking a calculated risk," BMW chief >executive Norbert Reithofer told shareholders in May. "There is no guarantee >of success ... Progress has to be imagined, earned and paid for." > >Squaring Off Against Tesla and the Rest > >That risk-taking may very well net BMW plaudits for innovation but may not >pay-off in the near future. But such is the proposition of a long-term >investment. > >"Like all EVs, it's expensive for its size and has a limited driving range, >so only a limited pool of car buyers will be interested," said Mike Omotoso, >senior manager of global powertrain at LMC Automotive. "The BMW name gives >it extra cachet, but we don't see them outselling the Nissan Leaf [EV]." > >The price point is, after all, above the Leaf ($28,800) and the Volt >($39,145). > >Omotoso feels the i3 is aimed at wealthy buyers who may have a $50,000 >Corvette as a second car or a bunch of classic cars. > >"But that's a limited pool of buyers, some of whom aren't environmentally >conscious so they'd rather have an old muscle car or supercar that gets 8 >miles per gallon than a shiny new zero emission vehicle," he said. > >For those who want the electric novelty with performance, the Tesla Model S >[EV] is a gorgeous sports sedan—though can reach toward a six-figure price >point and above. > >"The Model S is doing surprisingly well—one reason being that it has a >driving range up to 300 miles for the 'signature' version compared to 70 to >100 miles for a typical EV," Omotoso said. "But the stigmas against EVs are >still a) limited driving rage, b) lack of infrastructure and c) high price." >The EV slandering and high-price point have not prevented the Model S from >selling, with the car on pace to hit 20,000 units sold this year. > >"The Tesla Model S is priced at around $90,000 and that hasn't stopped it >from being a hit, but once Elon Musk's buddies in Silicon Valley have bought >theirs, then what?" Omotoso said ... > >This is all to say that BMW won't stop relying on its most popular 3 Series >any time soon and will hope for the i3 to have a dovetail effect in >attracting attention to the X5 and 4 Series set to launch later this year. >That's not to discount the i3 longterm. > >"There are questions surrounding the real-world practicality of EVs rather >than a stigma," said IHS's Newton. "They remain something of a 'statement' >technology for early adopters at present, but will certainly grow to make up >one 'powertrain' solution in the future vehicle landscape." >[© thestreet.com] > > > >http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2014-bmw-i3-photos-and-info-news >2014 BMW i3 July 2013 BY JENS MEINERS - Designed from the ground up as a >fully electric vehicle, the i3 is the direct result of a strategic decision >taken by the company's board at the height of optimism ... >[images >http://www.caranddriver.com/photo-gallery/2014-bmw-i3-photos-and-info-news >] > > > >http://www.earthtechling.com/2013/07/bmw-i3-takes-center-stage-as-newest-electric-car/ >BMW i3 Takes Center Stage As Newest Electric Car >by Nino Marchetti [July 29, 2013] - BMW formally unveiled its first mass >production electric car, the i3, today to a global audience. It is the first >product of the German automaker’s i sub-brand of green cars, and will price >for around $41,350 before tax rebates and the like. Release plans here in >the United States are set for the second quarter of next year ... >[image >http://www.earthtechling.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/P90129230_highRes-e1375133606799.jpg >] > > > >http://www.mybmwi3.com/ >BMW i3 officially revealed, pricing announced at $41,350 and $45,200 for Rex >July 29, 2013 >... >http://www.myelectriccarforums.com/bmw-i3-officially-revealed-pricing-announced-at-41350-and-45200-for-rex/ > ... July 29, 2013 Today is the day BMW set aside long ago to reveal the i3 >at 3 locations simultaneously around the world. With the unveiling of the >BMW i3 in North America, we not only got to see the production version of >the i3, but we also learned of the pricing for BMW’s production electric >vehicle ... >... >http://www.mybmwi3.com/forum/ >BMW i3 forum > > > > >For all EVLN posts use: >http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/template/NamlServlet.jtp?macro=search_page&node=413529&query=evln&sort=date > >Here are today's archive-only EV posts: > >EVent: Yates To Beat e-plane Record @Mather Airport October 2013 >EVLN: BMW buying a stake in UK EVSE installation company >EVLN: PA farmer's Leaf EV beats high petrol prices >EVLN: Maine Power Company Offers EV Grants >EVLN: A morning with Tesla’s Model S >+ >EVLN: $17.5k Chevrolet reveals Spark EV details > > >{brucedp.150m.com} > > > >-- >View this message in context: >http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/EVLN-40k-BMW-i3-Enters-the-Electric-Scrum-r-100mi-0-60mph-7-2s-videos-tp4664490.html >Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at >Nabble.com. >_______________________________________________ >UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub >http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org >For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA >(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA) > _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
