SoCalEuro
02-16-2011, 02:00 PM
Filed under: Hybrid (http://www.autoblog.com/category/hybrids/), Europe (http://www.autoblog.com/category/euro/), Technology (http://www.autoblog.com/category/tech/), Hatchback (http://www.autoblog.com/category/hatchbacks/), BMW (http://www.autoblog.com/category/bmw/), Electric (http://www.autoblog.com/category/electric/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/02/megacity-630.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/bmw-megacity-vehicle/)
BMW Megacity EV - Click above for high-res image gallery
As more details about BMW's (http://www.autoblog.com/make/bmw/) upcoming Megacity (http://www.autoblog.com/tag/megacity) EV trickle out, we learn that the electric city car will be offered with a small internal combustion engine designed to replenish the depleted batteries while in motion. The news, delivered by BMW Financial Officer Frederick Eichinerto to German website Focus.de, is interesting as the Megacity was first reported to be solely a pure EV.
With a lightweight carbon fiber chassis, BMW's Megacity has enough space up front to accommodate the optional engine without worry, so customers will have the choice of leaving the space empty (to increase luggage capacity) or have the combustion engine fitted (to increase range). The Megacity will use lithium-ion batteries with a reported 35 kWh of capacity and is expected to have a pure-EV driving range of about 100 miles. The range-extender engine should add to that significantly - good news to customers still fraught with range anxiety.
Gallery: BMW Megacity Vehicle (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/bmw-megacity-vehicle/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/p90063249_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/bmw-megacity-vehicle/#3139108)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/p90063248_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/bmw-megacity-vehicle/#3139109)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/p90061198highres_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/bmw-megacity-vehicle/#3139110)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/p90061197highres_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/bmw-megacity-vehicle/#3139111)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/p90061196highres_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/bmw-megacity-vehicle/#3139113)
[Source: BMWBLOG (http://www.bmwblog.com/2011/02/07/bmw-megacity-to-receive-optional-range-extender/)]
Rumormill: BMW Megacity to get optional range-extender (http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/16/rumormill-bmw-megacity-to-get-optional-range-extender/) originally appeared on Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com) on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).
Permalink (http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/16/rumormill-bmw-megacity-to-get-optional-range-extender/) | Email this (http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19842124/) | Comments (http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/16/rumormill-bmw-megacity-to-get-optional-range-extender/#comments)
More... (http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/16/rumormill-bmw-megacity-to-get-optional-range-extender/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/02/megacity-630.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/bmw-megacity-vehicle/)
BMW Megacity EV - Click above for high-res image gallery
As more details about BMW's (http://www.autoblog.com/make/bmw/) upcoming Megacity (http://www.autoblog.com/tag/megacity) EV trickle out, we learn that the electric city car will be offered with a small internal combustion engine designed to replenish the depleted batteries while in motion. The news, delivered by BMW Financial Officer Frederick Eichinerto to German website Focus.de, is interesting as the Megacity was first reported to be solely a pure EV.
With a lightweight carbon fiber chassis, BMW's Megacity has enough space up front to accommodate the optional engine without worry, so customers will have the choice of leaving the space empty (to increase luggage capacity) or have the combustion engine fitted (to increase range). The Megacity will use lithium-ion batteries with a reported 35 kWh of capacity and is expected to have a pure-EV driving range of about 100 miles. The range-extender engine should add to that significantly - good news to customers still fraught with range anxiety.
Gallery: BMW Megacity Vehicle (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/bmw-megacity-vehicle/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/p90063249_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/bmw-megacity-vehicle/#3139108)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/p90063248_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/bmw-megacity-vehicle/#3139109)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/p90061198highres_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/bmw-megacity-vehicle/#3139110)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/p90061197highres_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/bmw-megacity-vehicle/#3139111)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/p90061196highres_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/bmw-megacity-vehicle/#3139113)
[Source: BMWBLOG (http://www.bmwblog.com/2011/02/07/bmw-megacity-to-receive-optional-range-extender/)]
Rumormill: BMW Megacity to get optional range-extender (http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/16/rumormill-bmw-megacity-to-get-optional-range-extender/) originally appeared on Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com) on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).
Permalink (http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/16/rumormill-bmw-megacity-to-get-optional-range-extender/) | Email this (http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19842124/) | Comments (http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/16/rumormill-bmw-megacity-to-get-optional-range-extender/#comments)
More... (http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/16/rumormill-bmw-megacity-to-get-optional-range-extender/)