According to German media, BMW is hard at work to develop a car with a fuel economy of 0.4 liter per 100 km or 588 MPG. Apparently at a meeting for e-mobility, BMW has shown the German media a prototype similar from today’s perspective as futuristic as the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics was in 2009.
According to the report, the prototype is made entirely of carbon fiber, it has enough space for four people and has a trunk suitable for everyday with a volume of almost 350 liters. The finished vehicle would be approximately 1,200 kilograms heavy and therefore undercut the i8 by 300 kilograms.
Included in the weight is a plug-in hybrid powertrain, which consists of a a rear axle electric motor and a two-cylinder petrol engine. The combustion engine drives the wheels directly, but can also be used as a range extender and therefore to charge other batteries.
BMW i3 chassis
The performance figures remain in the dark, but the CO2 emissions is said to be around 10 grams per kilometer mark and a 0.18 drag coefficien.
The top speed is said to be over 180 km/h.
Nice work BMW, 600lbs lighter is crazy, they’ll really have to start worrying about crosswind aerodynamics at this point, good problem to have. I was always hoping that the next gen of the i series would be all CFRP and it looks like that is happening. The G series of vehicles is getting CFRP in particular areas and I would expect the H series to have the passenger cell be completely CFRP and the I series to be completely CFRP.
The weight is the same as the i3. Four passengers—same as i3. Electric motor and 2-cylinder ICE in back—same as i3 REx. The illustration seems to be the i3 (although no doubt just a placeholder because no picture of the “prototype” is available). I suspect no actual prototype exists, just a conceptual design.
That’s correct
Why waste more time worrying about MPGs, build a real Tesla competitor BMW!!
They’re not mutually exclusive. If you make this 100% electric it will have great range too.
It drives me crazy when they don’t take the electricity consumed into account when bragging about ‘mpg’ numbers; GM did the same thing when they claimed the Volt got 230mpg. 1g gasoline = 34kWh… It’s using electricity to supplement its energy…. that electricity isn’t free. This isn’t 588mpg… it’s more likely <150mpge.
A LEAF doesn't get 'infinite' mpg… it's ~120mpge; A Tesla isn't 'infinite' mpg… it's ~100mpge.