BMW electric car 2011 - BMW unveils electric car division
BMW electric car 2011 - BMW unveils electric car division German carmaker BMW has unveiled two new models to launch its electric motoring division BMWi. The i3 is an all-electric small city car, while the i8, a powerful sports car, combines an electric motor with a three-cylinder combustion engine. To reduce weight, the cars have been constructed with light-weight aluminium under structures and bodies made from strong and light carbon fibre. That means their batteries can be smaller without compromising on range. "We wanted to show the carbon fibre in the raw," Ian Robertson, group sales and marketing director, said in an interview. German jobs The i3 city car, which will hit the road in 2013, will have a range of 150km (95 miles) on one charge. Both the batteries and the motor lie below the floor of the car, which maximises space inside. The car seats four and has a 200-litre luggage space. The less spacious but more aerodynamic i8 sportscar is a prototype, th...