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New BMW sub-brand: BMW i
BMW i stands for sustainable vehicles and mobility solutions
Two models available from launch: BMW i3 and BMW i8 Mobility services complement core business
BMW i Ventures holding company founded
Munich. The new BMW sub-brand focused on developing sustainable mobility solutions has been launched. “BMW i represents a new movement in premium mobility. With the introduction of this new sub-brand, the BMW Group reaffirms its leadership as the most innovative and sustainable premium car company. The products and services have been conceived around a revolutionary approach: purpose designed and purpose built for sustainable, premium mobility. ItΆs a new day in our industry; a new era for individual mobility. This is BMW i – Born Electric.” said Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Sales and Marketing, in Munich on Monday.
In a first move, two models will be launched under the new sub-brand from 2013 – the BMW i3 and BMW i8. The BMW Group will also significantly expand its range of mobility services over the years ahead. To achieve this, a Venture Capital company was founded in New York City, BMW i Ventures, with an investment totalling up to 100 million US dollars.
“BMW i offers visionary cars and services, inspiring design, and an entirely new concept of premium mobility – all with a focus on sustainability”, explained Robertson. The BMW i brand comprises vehicles and services developed since 2007 as part of project i, a BMW Group think tank exploring sustainable mobility solutions. It is the BMW GroupΆs response to changing customer needs, including increasing demand for alternative drive trains, such as electric drive systems and hybrids. There is a widespread desire in megacities for solutions which intelligently combine the benefits of various mobility concepts in a single package.
Revolutionary vehicle concepts
“With BMW i, we are building on the success and strength of our core brand,” emphasised Robertson. The BMW i3– previously known as the Megacity Vehicle – will be the BMW GroupΆs first series-produced car for urban areas to be driven by electric power alone. The BMW i8, meanwhile, is based on the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept study. Its plug-in hybrid drive blends the sporting ability of a high-performance machine with the fuel consumption and emissions of a small car.
Both models are based on a revolutionary construction concept known as LifeDrive architecture. An aluminium chassis houses the powertrain, and the passenger cell consists of high-strength but extremely lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP). “Both cars have been designed specifically for their respective alternative drive systems. We used the innovative architecture and CFRP to cancel out practically all of the extra weight added by the batteries. For our customers this means superior driving dynamics combined with significantly increased range using electric power,” explains Klaus Draeger, BMW Board member responsible for development.
BMW i8 to be built in Leipzig
Like the BMW i3, the BMW i8 will also be manufactured at BMWΆs Leipzig plant. Around 400 million euros will be invested in new plant facilities and some 800 jobs will be created up to 2013. Development and production synergies will be achieved through both vehicles using the same component sets for the electric motors, power electronics, and high-voltage lithium-ion batteries.
A range of vehicle-independent services
An additional range of mobility services – which can also be used independently of the cars – will be an integral component of BMW i. This will allow the creation of a new, profitable area of business over the long term and attract new customers to the companyΆs brands.
“Mobility requirements are changing in rapidly expanding megacities” adds Ian Robertson. “Our commitment to car-enabled mobility services, like BMW ConnectedDrive, will be significantly expanded under BMW i. WeΆll also grow our car-related premium mobility services. WhatΆs truly groundbreaking is that weΆll begin offering car-independent premium mobility services. BMW i aims to provide customized mobility solutions across a seamless network of premium products and premium services.” The focus is on solutions which will improve usage of existing parking spaces, as well as intelligent navigation systems with local information, intermodal route planning, and premium car-sharing.
In addition to services developed in-house, the BMW Group is pursuing collaborations with partner companies and exploring strategic capital investments in providers of mobility services. To this end, the venture capital company BMW i Ventures has the goal to expand the range of products and services offered by BMW i in the long term by taking stakes in highly innovative service providers.
New York-based My City Way is the first company in which BMW i Ventures has taken a stake. Of the partnership, Ian Robertson said, “I am thrilled to announce that we have just signed our first strategic partnership with My City Way. As a mobile app, My City Way provides users with information on public transportation, parking availability, and local entertainment for over 40 cities in the US. Another 40 cities will be part of the global rollout, including Munich, of course.”
BMW i.
The design of the new BMW sub-brand.
Munich. BMW i stands for visionary vehicles, inspiring design and a new understanding of premium mobility – with a consistent focus on sustainability. This unique character is brought to life through style elements that give the design of BMW i models its very own identity. By reinterpreting well-known design characteristics, the BMW i design language ties in with the BMW parent brand. However, as the BMW i sub-brand reinterprets individual elements in a completely new fashion, vehicles launched under the new i sub-brand are provided with a stand-alone identity. For the sub-brand, the BMW logo is complemented by a blue three-dimensional ring. The reinterpretation of the iconic BMW kidney grille, particularly in combination with the sub-brandΆs front view, creates an optical link to the typical face of BMW core brand models. Apart from the assets of BMW design which stands for premium, quality and precision the BMW i design also embodies lightness, purity, safety and aerodynamic efficiency.
The side view reveals one of the most prominent design characteristics: the “streamflow”-C-pillar. These converging lines are a manifestation of the designΆs alignment with the modelsΆ aerodynamic requirements. Another element that substantiates this design philosophy is the aerodynamic thrust surface – or “aeroflap” – which is integrated into the rocker panel. Due to their diameter, the low-profile tires highlight the efficiency and dynamics of the BMW i3 and the BMW i8. Both concepts feature rear lights that reflect BMWΆs classic L theme. The side surfaces emphasize the aerodynamic aspect once again, also when viewed from the rear. As tearing edges, they reduce the modelsΆ aerodynamic drag and give them sound proportions.
The BMW i3 and the BMW i8 demonstrate the potential range of BMW i design principles when applied to two completely different vehicle concepts. The
BMW i3, known previously as the “Megacity Vehicle”, will be the BMW GroupΆs first all-electric series model for urban environments. The BMW i8, on the other hand, is based on the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept study. Fitted with a plug-in hybrid drive, it combines the driving characteristics of a high-performance sports car with the consumption and emission levels of a small car.
The BMW i logo
Conveying an air of transparency and openness, the BMW i logo is the epitome of the sub-brand and its design principles. The logo features a future-oriented design and evokes associations with the BMW parent brand. Its diagonal set-up with an upward orientation imparts a look of dynamics and elegance, thus augmenting the visionary character of BMW i.
21.02.2011, Press Release
