BMW Concept ActiveE

With the United Nations Climate Change Conference that is currently going on in Copenhagen, world leaders are leaning towards on cutting carbon emissions. BMW has got an answer for this, and well, we’ve all heard about the ever so amazing Efficient Dynamics “Ed”. BMW has now launched the Concept ActiveE, it basically means, electric alternative to the already amazing Bavarian Motors.

BMW Concept ActiveE
BMW’s vision for the future of the megacity vehicle, dubbed Project-i (Isetta?) comes in the form of this 1-series coupe modified to run on electricity. For the next major autoshow on schedule, the International Autoshow at Detroit, BMW will bring this car to follow-up the VisionED concept car. BMW maintains its goals of combining the green energy push with its own motto of “sheer driving pleasure” or “joy”. They have aimed to make this car fun to drive, with a good amount of torque and power.

The Engine and Drivetrain
The engine itself is a uniquely derived unit that produced 170hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. This gives the car a 0-60 time of 8.5seconds. Well within the normal limits of your everyday BMW and impressive numbers for an electric vehicle. Backing up the engine is a new advanced lithium-ion battery pack that was developed jointly by BMW and SB LiMotive. This pack combined with intelligent power management software will give the car a range of 100miles in everyday use.

How long does it take to charge the car to full? About 3 hours (using european power outlets at 230/240volts). In the USA this number would be extended to 4.5hours.

Packaging
The layout and arrangement of a car such as this is always an issue but BMW has been able to lay all out all the components into the rear drive axle and into the engine bay of the car. This is a major hurdle to overcome when developing the car of the future; from the passenger’s perspective its hard to tell the difference between this car and a traditional gas powered vehicle.

The battery packs themselves are located under the hood where an engine normally would be and underneath the car where the rear fuel tank would be. The larger battey pack is in the rear, and this is done to keep the center of gravity in the car low and to maintain the 50-50 weight distribution. Which other electric car maker is thinking like this right now?

The electric drive motor is mounted on the rear axle.

Energy Recouperation
Wasted kinetic energy was also a top priority in this project. When the driver is accelerating a car, energy goes from the battery to the motor and out to the wheels in order to move the car forward. But what about when the driver lets off the gas? Well, now a large portion of the kinetic energy is just being dissipated. Why not take the kinetic energy and run it backwards through the motor which now acts as a generator and can actually then recharge the battery while slowing the car down for you (think engine braking). BMW says this type of thinking help regenerate up to 20% extra power for the car.

Visuals
The visuals on this car are mostly fluff, as this is a showcar intended to attract attention. It is notable that since there is no exhaust or emissions, the exhaust cutout on the rear bumper has been removed. The car has also been fitting with more aerodynamic wheels, similar to the ones seen on the Vision ED concept car.

The Future
This car is clearly part of a broader general strategy in the future. The so called project-i is aimed at producing a car for mega cities that will be not only clean with little to no CO2 output but also highly efficient. This car takes another step forward from the MINI-E towards the final goal.

Of note however, all of these cars in BMWs growing armory of electric vehicles share a similar characteristic. They are all based on some of the most sporty cars in the BMW lineup. This is not by chance. BMW intends to maintain fun and driveability with the car of the future.

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Sources: BMW