BMW had a host of vehicles making their debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show last week, but one of the most interesting was the 2012 BMW ActiveE. This electric car is what is known as a “conversion”, which means it is an unmodified body of a known model fully converted to electric. In this case, the ActiveE almost identically resembles a regular gas-powered 1 Series Coupe.
BMW has integrated all electric drive components, including an energy storage unit, electric motor and power electronics, into the shell of a 1 Series Coupe without compromising the space, comfort or style of the original design. The electric drivetrain produces enough power and torque to allow the ActiveE to accelerate from 0 to 62 MPH in a swift 9 seconds. With seating for four, it is able to travel a full 100 miles on a single charge.
The BMW ActiveE is considered a testing platform for the 2013 BMW Megacity vehicle, which was recently renamed the “i3″. The i3 will be released in 2013 as the flagship vehicle for BMW’s sustainable-fuel sub-brand “i”. The two vehicles won’t look identical, but do share a variety of components including the drive train and energy storage. The ActiveE is kind of a test pilot for BMW’s foray into electric vehicles, and will contribute to the technological advances BMW is achieving with the MINI E Field Trial.
