My Blog About Racing: BMW to unveil ActiveE at Geneva Motor Show [w/video] *UPDATE

Sunday, February 13, 2011

BMW to unveil ActiveE at Geneva Motor Show [w/video] *UPDATE

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, BMW, Geneva Motor Show

BMW ActiveE - Click above for high-res image gallery

BMW has chosen to officially premiere its ActiveE at the upcoming 2011 Geneva Motor Show. As you can see, this successor to the Mini E in the automaker's electrification program doesn't stray too far from the concept version that's been showing up at various events over the past year. In fact, it appears as if only the lower fascia has been changed.

With a modest 168 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, the four-seat lease-only coupé isn't going to tear up any quarter-mile strips. It takes it a full nine seconds to reach 60 miles per hour from a stop, and top speed is limited to 90 mph. It should, however, handle like a proper Bimmer. The weight has been evenly distributed 50/50 front and rear, thanks in part to the parceling out of the liquid-cooled SB LiMotive batteries into three separate packages. One lies beneath the hood, another in the legacy transmission tunnel and the third has found a home beneath the rear seats.

Like most electric vehicles with AC motors, the ActiveE has regenerative braking. Unlike the others, it has an intermediate position between going and slowing, so that when you ease of the accelerater, it enters a gliding phase. In many situations this could be more efficient than engaging regen. Hit the jump for a fancy little computer-generated introduction to the ActiveE and its drivetrain as well as the offical press release.

*UPDATE: Added a second video featuring the actual car on a track. This footage features some motor sound and also better reveals the bulge in the hood necessary to accommodate the front battery pack.

Gallery: BMW ActiveE