BMW i. Latest News.
BMW i. App.
Users can explore the new BMW i App to find out if the brand's vision can better their own. The mobile application tracks urban driving experiences to discover which BMW i vehicle best suits their urban needs.
The heart of the app is the "Born Electric Analyzer", a tool that connects the user's journey through the city to a BMW i electric vehicle. iPhone and Android tracking capabilities allow users to trace their path through the city and pause to check mileage, gas usage and other key driving statistics. The final results of the "Born Electric Analyzer" offer an in-depth look at the journey and a recommendation for the driver's ideal BMW i vehicle.
Alternatively, users can engage with a simulated journey planner and experience the benefits of BMW i solutions from home. Entering start- and endpoints results in a BMW i3 or BMW i8 recommendation, depending on the needs of the user.
Car fans can explore both models, swiping through detailed interior and exterior views of the vehicles. Those looking for mobile solutions such as car sharing or parking will find a host of options to explore: rich video and image material provide a comprehensive look at the different offers.
You can find the iPhone version of the app here.
The Android version can be downloaded in the Google Play store.
How it works:
BMW i Brand Store in London.
The BMW Group presented its first BMW i Store worldwide in London, unveiling a showroom that offers a completely new brand experience focused on sustainable mobility.
Alongside the presentation of the BMW i3 Concept with a new interior colour and materials concept, the “360° ELECTRIC” mobility product and service package was introduced to the public.
BMW i vehicles make their North American premiere.
At the 2011 LA Auto Show, the BMW i3 and BMW i8 Concept vehicles were unveiled. A dazzling reveal and progressive vehicles set BMW i apart from all other car manufacturers. Step inside each vehicle and watch what it means to be Born Electric.
BMW i Makes its Big Screen Debut.
European premiere of "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol" at BMW Welt in Munich on December 9th 2011 welcomes Tom Cruise and co-stars to the red carpet. The BMW i8 Concept is successor to the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Car which appears alongside many other BMW models in the recently released film.
With its ultra-modern architecture, BMW Welt played perfect host to the blockbuster event, which brought the film's star together with actress Paula Patton, producer Bryan Burk and Academy Award-winning producer Brad Bird.
In the film, Cruise can be seen driving the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics — whose successor, the BMW i8, will be ready for series production by 2014. Thanks to the fascinating sports car's wide range of technical features, Cruise's character Ethan Hunt is able to steer smartly, safely — and of course swiftly — through the city of Mumbai's notorious traffic.
"Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol" opened in cinemas worldwide December 15th.
Leipzig: The Future Mobility Plant.
The first production centre for electro-mobility in Germany is a BMW plant: Our site in Leipzig. Around €400 million will have been invested in the production of the BMW i3 by 2013. The expansion of the plant will create approximately 800 jobs.
The expansion of the high-tech plant in Leipzig into a production centre for electro-mobility has started in March 2011. In a first step, the building which will house the construction of CFRP components, will be built. Body parts made out of the extremely light and strong material will be formed here.
In a next step, another building for the production of plastic parts and later on in the year, two further production halls will be constructed. In these new halls, the bodies of the BMW i3 and BMW i8 will be put together, fitted out and then attached to the drive module. The first vehicles should roll off of the production line in these new buildings in 2013.
Update: On October 26th 2011, the official topping out ceremony took place at the BMW plant Leipzig - exactly within the time plan. The celebration was attended by Saxony's Prime Minister Stanislaw Tillich and the Mayor of Leipzig, Burkhard Jung. From 2013 on, the BMW i3 and a year later also the BMW i8 will be produced in this modern, highly efficient plant that will be powered by four wind turbines on-site.
BMW Plant Landshut: Ready for Carbon Fibre Production.
The BMW Landshut Plant begins carbon parts production for car of the future - the new CFRP Innovation and Production Centre with 100 new employees and record-level energy conservation.
The BMW production site for carbon-fiber-reinforced-plastics (CFRP) was inaugurated on March 2nd 2012. The new CFRP Innovation and Production Centre at the BMW Plant in Landshut, Germany will produce ultra-lightweight carbon parts that will compose about one third of body components for BMW i models, with production beginning in 2013.
"In carbon we see a meaningful high-tech material of the future," explains Dr. Herbert Diess, member of the BMW AG board for the Purchasing and Supplier Network. "We believe in this material — and we are trailblazers in this field."
The new production site was completed only eight months after the ground-breaking ceremony in July of 2010 and sets an ecological standard with its significant reduction in primary energy use, with energy consumption 25% below legal regulations.
The new site will also produce an additional 100 jobs in CFRP production. The BMW Plant in Landshut employs a total of approximately 3,000 workers and for more than 10 years has been an expert in carbon.
BMW i and Bridgestone.
Creating a unique tire for a unique vehicle.
When the BMW i concept was introduced to Bridgestone, it was immediately clear that it would require a unique tire design to deliver the expected performance targets.
BMW i vehicles have unique technical characteristics such as light weight and a balanced weight distribution that require consideration in the tire design.
The Launch of BMW i.
BMW i, the new BMW sub-brand focused on developing sustainable mobility solutions was launched on Monday, February 21, 2011. BMW AG Board members Ian Robertson, responsible for Sales and Marketing, and Dr. Klaus Draeger, responsible for Development, celebrated the launch at the BMW Welt in Munich.
"BMW i represents a new movement in premium mobility. With the introduction of this new sub-brand, the BMW Group reaffirms its leadership as the most innovative and sustainable premium car company", Ian Robertson explained during the press conference, "Its products and services have been conceived around a revolutionary approach: purpose designed and purpose built for sustainable, premium mobility. It's a new day in our industry; a new era for individual mobility. This is BMW i – Born Electric", he said.
BMW i will launch with two vehicles. The fully electric BMW i3 – formerly known as the MegaCity Vehicle, and the BMW i8, a plug-in hybrid vehicle which provides both the efficiency of an electric vehicle, with unbeatable fuel efficiency and sports car performance.
“Both cars have been designed specifically for their respective alternative drive systems. We used the innovative architecture and CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic) to cancel out practically all of the extra weight added by the batteries. For our customers this means superior driving dynamics combined with significantly increased range using electric power,” explained Dr. Klaus Draeger. It was announced that, like the BMW i3, the BMW i8 will also be manufactured at the BMW plant in Leipzig.
BMW i encompasses a raft of developments. “Mobility requirements are changing in rapidly expanding megacities” Ian Robertson stated. “Our commitment to car-enabled mobility services, like BMW ConnectedDrive, will be significantly expanded under BMW i. We’ll also grow our car-related premium mobility services. What’s truly groundbreaking is that we’ll begin offering car-independent premium mobility services. BMW i aims to provide customized mobility solutions across a seamless network of premium products and premium services.”
To achieve this, a Venture Capital company was founded in New York City, BMW i Ventures. BMW i Ventures aims to invest in, and build long-term partnerships with projects which have high potential in the field of mobility services. Ian Robertson announced MyCityWay as the first strategic partnership: “As a mobile app, MyCityWay provides users with information on public transportation, parking availability, and local entertainment for over 40 cities in the US. Another 40 cities will be part of the global rollout, including Munich, of course.”
