bmw concept activeE

Previewed ahead of the Detroit show, the BMW Concept ActiveE is the second vehicle after the MINI E to be developed as part of BMW’s project i electric vehicles which aim to combine CO2 free mobility with the driving pleasure BMW is famous for. Project i cars are tested by private and select fleet customers and the data and info gathered in the process will be used in the development of EVs under a new sub-brand that will appear in the first half of the next decade.

The 1-Series Coupe based Concept ActiveE is powered by a new synchronous electric motor with 170 bhp and 250 Nm available from standstill (0 rpm). The lithium-ion battery pack jointly developed by BMW and SB LiMotive (a Bosch-Samsung joint venture) has a liquid cooled temperature regulation function that optimises battery performance. The batteries are spread all over the floorpan of the car to lower centre of gravity.

bmw connected driveA BMW must be good to drive, and Munich is proud of the Concept ActiveE’s weight-reduced construction and its component arrangement. The electric motor is fully integrated in the rear axle, with the electionics positioned above it. Space used for energy storage would have been taken up by the conventional drivetrain and fuel tank in the standard rear-driven 1-Series so there’s no sacrificing the weight distribution and handling, it is claimed. Kerb weight is quite high at 1800 kg, though.

Acceleration from 0-100 km/h is under 9.0 seconds, with an electronically-limited top speed of 145 km/h. BMW claims a real-world range of about 160 km on a single charge. Batteries can be fully charged at conventional power outlets in as little as three hours in Europe and 4.5 hours in North America.

BMW ConnectedDrive services tailored exclusively EV use is included. It features remote functions which enable the use of a mobile phone to check battery charge status and public charging station locations, among others.

More pics after the jump.

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