BMW Group, the well appreciated German automobile maker, has unveiled two enticing models of its 'BMW-i Born Electric' concept vehicle range as part of its ongoing world tour event held in New York on November 14, 2012. The stylish sports and luxury car maker pulled the curtains off its BMW i8 Concept Roadster and the next generation BMW i3 Concept at the ceremony held in Big Apple.
The recently concluded New York chapter marks the German auto maker's sole stop on US turf, as per the planned world tour. Reportedly, BMW Group's global world tours spans three continents – Asia, North America and Europe, with world class events scheduled in Rome, Düsseldorf, Tokyo, London, Paris and Shanghai.
Reportedly, the BMW-i Born Electric range comprising i3 and i8 are set to become the world's first built with purpose electric and hybrid-electric production vehicles. Further, Peter Miles, Executive Vice President (VP), Operations, BMW Group of North America, has affirmed that BMW i3 and i8 concept vehicles will be built primarily with carbon fibre, as they are rendered open to public services in the next few years. Miles added that BMW i3 Concept could hit commercial market somewhere in 2013, while the BMW i8 Concept Roadster could be made available to public in 2014.
Commenting on the futuristic innovations behind BMW-i Born Electric concept vehicles, Miles said, “As street parking continues to be one of the biggest challenges in our congested cities and because the time spent searching for parking is a major reason for increased emissions and wasted fuel, we feel that our involvement with these innovations is a key component of BMW-I strategy.”
The BMW i3 Concept vehicle boasts off an all-electric motor that entails the car to run smoothly for a distance between 80 and 100 miles on a single battery charge. Further, the zero emission characteristic makes i3 Concept to become one of the most appealing, 'Green' and environment friendly vehicles in the world, which has been designed exclusively for city driving requirements.
The BMW i8 Concept Roadster is a plug-in hybrid vehicle featuring an eDrive drivetrain that is powered with a petrol combustion engine and a high-performance electric motor. The state-of-the-art hybrid vehicle is driven with a lithium-ion battery that can be recharged in an impressive short time frame from any domestic power socket.
