BMW to launch electric cars under M-like sub-brand

BMW LogoBMW’s Project i will be launched under the BMW subframe not unlike the BMW M badge, said its CEO Norberg Reithofer earlier this week.

We’ve already seen a modern BMW electric car with the trial-basis MINI E, and speculation was arife on whether BMW would start a new fourth brand for its electric cars, market the cars under the BMW brand, or sell them all as MINIs, since the MINI E is a MINI. The first car under Project i is commonly referred to as the MegaCity and will be released in the first half of the next decade, which is within 5 year’s time.

Lithium-ion batteries for Project i will be sourced from a Korean joint venture between Bosch and Samsung SDI called SB LiMotive. SB LiMotive also owns Cobasys, the company which supplies batteries to GM for its Volt.

BMW is said to be in talks with PSA Peugeot Citroen to expand its technical collaboration to electric cars as well. PSA already had some sort of deal with Mitsubishi though, with Mitsubishi set to supply the Mitsubishi i electric car to the French company to be sold in Europe under the Peugeot and Citroen badges.

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • Fanetric on Aug 05, 2009 at 7:49 pm

    Hmm.. just dun know how long the Lithium Ion battery last before it needs to be replace.

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  • intermilan on Aug 05, 2009 at 7:51 pm

    electric BMW car? emmm… RWD?

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  • MycarMylife on Aug 05, 2009 at 8:53 pm

    Bavarian please let us have you findings on your trial run of the Mini E and when can we expect to see it in MY.

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  • Slayer on Aug 05, 2009 at 10:40 pm

    No worry how long Lithium Ion battery can last…the Duracell hero can help

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  • Tiadaid on Aug 06, 2009 at 1:02 am

    Since the car runs on lithium, they should obviously name it the L-series. They already have M badge

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  • rexis on Aug 06, 2009 at 5:21 pm

    Do we have enough lithium for everybody?

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