BMW To Make Whole Lineup Electric, With Range Extenders, AWD: Report - Green Car Reports
If a report from early this year is accurate, the company plans to convert the bulk of its product lineup to electric power over the next 10 years. Virtually every BMW model would be powered by electric motors, with all-wheel drive and range-extending engines throughout the range. DON'T MISS: Ultra-Efficient BMW Four-Seat Plug-In Hybrid For Research Only, Not Sales: Report. And the new architecture will affect even BMW's core model, its high-volume 3-Series sport sedan. The driving force is stringent European Union regulations that greatly reduce the average carbon emissions permitted from road vehicles. As a result, BMW has concluded that it must convert all its vehicles to some configuration of plug-in hybrid, lower their weight dramatically to compensate for larger battery packs, and make them far more aerodynamic. The first example of this new mix of materials is the 2016 BMW 7-Series, which has CFRP structural elements under the skin to replace what would formerly have been high-strength steel members. Source: www.greencarreports.com
