BMW is to launch a new sub-brand focussing on the development of sustainable mobility solutions.
To set the ball rolling with this ambitious new venture BMW is to launch two new models under the BMW i sub-brand in 2013 - the BMW i3 and the MBW i8. They are also planning a big expansion in their range of mobility services over the next few years.
Speaking of the new sub-brand the member of the Board of Management at BMW AG responsible for Sales and Marketing, Mr Ian Robertson, said:
"BMW i represents a new movement in premium mobility. With the introduction of this new sub-brand, the BMW Group reaffirms its leadership as the most innovative and sustainable premium car company. The products and services have been conceived around a revolutionary approach: purpose designed and purpose built for sustainable, premium mobility. It's a new day in our industry; a new era for individual mobility. This is BMW i - Born Electric."
The BMW i brand will be made up of vehicles and services developed since 2007 as part of a BMW Group think tank called project i, which has been exploring sustainable mobility solutions. It represents the firm's response to increasing demand for sustainable products such as electric drive systems and hybrid cars.
The new BMW i3 car, previously known under the provisional name 'Megacity Vehicle', will be the company’s first urban vehicle to be driven by electric power alone. Meanwhile the i8 is based on the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept study, and will feature plug-in hybrid drive to combine the sporting ability of a high-performance car with the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of a small city car.
Both the i3 and i8 models will be based on an innovative new construction concept called LifeDrive architecture. The powertrain will be housed in a lightweight aluminium chassis, whilst the passenger cell is built from extremely lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced plastic.
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