2012 BMW ActiveE - The 1-Series Goes Electric
Ahead of the Geneva show, BMW has unveiled their first electric vehicle, the ActiveE: a 1-Series coupe that’s good for 170 horsepower, 184 pound-feet of torque, and 100 miles on a single charge.
This gives the ActiveE a 0-60 time good for nine seconds. And BMW says the batteries can be fully charged in four to five hours through a standard wall outlet, with a rapid charger. The batteries decrease cargo space by approximately 3 cu. feet, but interior changes are minimal, and it can still seat four adults.
Against a regular 1-Series, the ActiveE sports bright white paint, circuit board graphics along its flanks, a goofy “power bulge” hood, and low-resistance wheels and tires. And that’s about it. The ActiveE’s powertrain is supposed to preview the futuristic Megacity concept that BMW will launch in 2013; call this a sneak preview, then, without the carbon fiber body or Blade Runner styling. Which is the idea BMW is promoting behind the ActiveE: a production-ready car that packs the drivetrain of the future, but doesn’t look like it does.
It will go on sale in select markets and cities including Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, New York, Boston and in Connecticut. Production is slated at over 1,000 units.
More by Blake Z. Rong
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