Photo: bmw
With the Frankfurt Motor Show 2015 in full swing, interviews with various officials are starting to pay off. One such conversation involved BMW’s Sales Chief, Ian Robertson and the AutoNews people and the focus of the discussion was the i sub-brand.
As you may very well know, BMW invested heavily in it and the return has been less than impressive. The thing is, apart from the i3 and i8 models that are actually being sold under the i umbrella, the technology developed for them is used for more and more cars.
At the moment, the Germans have four plug-in hybrids on sale outside the i cars that use a layout with similar technology. We’re referring to the 220xe Active Tourer, the 330e, X5 xDrive40e and the new 740e models.
However, even so, the efforts the Bavarian brand is making to pose as an eco-friendly brand don’t seem to be enough. In this regard, they plan on releasing another i car, one that would follow the recipe of its predecessor but should bring more range to the table.
"We have a number of options that are in the final stages of consideration" to join the i3 battery-powered compact and i8 plug-in hybrid sports car in the subbrand's lineup, Ian Robertson, BMW's sales chief, said. "The i unit will continue to develop."
That’s all nice and well and it may not mean what you think it does. The man is only saying that the company has more than one option in this regard and they will pick one in the days to come that will enter production. That’s about it! Don’t go too far thinking that he’s actually implying it will begin production soon.
Following what BMW always claimed (that adding bigger batteries doesn’t make sense due to the weight) we’re expecting the i5 to use a new generation of batteries that would provide twice as much in terms of range without increasing in size or weight.
Since more and more companies are looking to create Model S competitors, the electric range of the i3, which is around 100 miles at most, won’t be cutting it any more. Therefore, we should expect the i5 to post at least a range of 200 miles and offer a fast recharging possibility.
The new i car is scheduled for a near 2020 launch so you’d better start saving as it won’t be cheap.
At the moment, the Germans have four plug-in hybrids on sale outside the i cars that use a layout with similar technology. We’re referring to the 220xe Active Tourer, the 330e, X5 xDrive40e and the new 740e models.
However, even so, the efforts the Bavarian brand is making to pose as an eco-friendly brand don’t seem to be enough. In this regard, they plan on releasing another i car, one that would follow the recipe of its predecessor but should bring more range to the table.
"We have a number of options that are in the final stages of consideration" to join the i3 battery-powered compact and i8 plug-in hybrid sports car in the subbrand's lineup, Ian Robertson, BMW's sales chief, said. "The i unit will continue to develop."
That’s all nice and well and it may not mean what you think it does. The man is only saying that the company has more than one option in this regard and they will pick one in the days to come that will enter production. That’s about it! Don’t go too far thinking that he’s actually implying it will begin production soon.
What will it be?
This new i car should be positioned somewhere between the i3 and the i8. Rumors call it the i5 and it does seem like a good choice since sources close to Munich said that it will be a sedan, closer in proportions to the EV to beat, the Model S.Following what BMW always claimed (that adding bigger batteries doesn’t make sense due to the weight) we’re expecting the i5 to use a new generation of batteries that would provide twice as much in terms of range without increasing in size or weight.
Since more and more companies are looking to create Model S competitors, the electric range of the i3, which is around 100 miles at most, won’t be cutting it any more. Therefore, we should expect the i5 to post at least a range of 200 miles and offer a fast recharging possibility.
The new i car is scheduled for a near 2020 launch so you’d better start saving as it won’t be cheap.
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