Underlining the significant geographical shift in focus for new model launches, BMW revealed its first production electric car – the Megacity Vehicle – at the China 2010 Show in Beijing.
To be launched in 2013 under a sub-brand of BMW, the zero-emissions Megacity Vehicle is an urban car for the world’s metropolitan regions. In a major breakthrough, BMW will introduce the vehicle in mass-production form making extensive use of CFRP (carbon fibre-reinforced plastic) in its materials.
“With this innovative vehicle, designed from the ground up, we will be creating new benchmarks for electric mobility from 2013 on,” explained Norbert Reithofer, BMW Group’s Chairman. “Our Megacity Vehicle will be significantly lighter than conventional cars and, in terms of sustainability, will set a new standard across the entire value-added chain.”
As part if its real-world research of electric vehicles, BMW Group is delivering 50 MINI E cars to customers in China this year – as part of 600 similar vehicles participating in a giant global field-test.
Feedback from that mammoth test will be used by BMW and its joint-venture partner Brilliance to develop and produce a New Energy Vehicle in China.
