BMW to Lease 700 Electric Vehicles

Taking advantage of the 2010 Geneva Auto Show presence, German carmaker BMW confirmed through Ian Robertson the release onto the market of a fleet of 700 electric vehicles, to be leased to customers in major global cities. Two hundred of those will be leased in the US. The test fleet should be ready in two year, BMW says.

“The fleet will be between 600 to 700 units, about 200 units for the United States and about 300 to 400 in Europe in large metropolitan areas such as Berlin, Paris and London,” Robertson said according to Autonews.

A preview of the electric powertrain to be featured on the Megacity is the current ActivE vehicle. Powered by a new synchronous electric motor, the car develops 170 bhp and a maximum torque of 250 Nm of torque from a standstill.

The manufacturer estimates a naught to 62 acceleration time of 9 seconds or less and an electronically limited top speed of around 145 km/h (90 mph). The most important feature of the EV, its range, is estimated to sit at around 160 km / 100 miles on a single charge.

So far dubbed ActivE, the 1 Series electric which will form the backbone of the future electric vehicle will be assembled in BMW's facility in Leipzig. It will be part of a new, third sub-brand owned by BMW (probably named i-Setta),

The new brand will also comprise a choice of several engines, ranging from regular, yet small displacement gasoline engines to all electric choices.