The exclusive leasing program of BMW’s all-electric vehicles (Mini Es) has created quite a buzz. After all, only 450 models exist. Now, through a draw in a lottery, 4 lucky Californian municipalities, including Glendora, Diamond Bar, West Covina and Azusa, hit the jackpot as they were selected to participate in BMW’s first ever EV pilot program.

Each township will receive two of the two-seater Mini Cooper look-alikes. Moreover, while other lessees shell out $850/month, the winners will only be paying $10/month per car. Why $10, you might be wondering? Well, it’s not supposed to make sense. Afterwards, they would be expected to provide feedback on the cars, which presumably would perfect the engineering process by the time BMW starts mass-producing the Mini E.

The Air Quality Management District (AQMD) and the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments helped organize the lottery. Michael Cacciotti, the representative of the AQMD Governing Body revealed the fact to the media that around 15 cities had shown interest in acquiring the car; however, only four cities were chosen. Mr. Cacciotti is a representative of the Los Angeles County Eastern Region as well.

Mr. Michael Cacciotti acquired 2 Mini E cars for South Pasadena city a couple of months back, when he met with BMW officials. He was promised six more electric cars during that time. Later, when the production increased, other cities were selected to lease out the cars.

According to engineers at BMW, the Mini E would have a single charge electric range of 150 miles. Its top speed would be 95 miles per hour, with a 0-60 acceleration of about 8.5 seconds. The car’s backseat and part of its trunk would be occupied by a 573-pound lithium-ion battery, which would be used to power a 150kW electric motor. All lessees in the pilot program would be given a free high-voltage wall box, which would reduce the charge time of the battery to 3 hours.

Chris Jeffers, the Glendora City Manager responded positively to the electric car. He said that it would be a ‘win-win situation’ for masses, as the car would enable the city to save about $500 to $800 on gasoline on a yearly basis. He commented, “For us, it shows our green side as we’re trying to be as green as possible. It also allows us to delay purchases for some new vehicles.”

Yup, it was a hard decision to make, but in the end he chose to accept the free BMWs.

Update: BMW has announced plans to produce an electric car specifically geared to meet California’s Zero-Emission-Vehicle statute (ZEVs) by 2012.  The car will be called the BMW City or “Project i”.  There is no way to tell at the moment if they will scrap the Mini E program, or if this model is its natural successor.

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The New Mercedes-Benz Supercar

For those with the patience and the pocketbook, a powerful car is about to hit the markets in the year 2015.  Without a doubt, Mercedes-Benz has ambitions to lead several other high-end auto companies, should the race for plug-in automobiles really take off.   To that end, company representatives have announced a  zero-emission supercar, which is a newer version of the SLS AMG,  that will be publicly unveiled on September 15^th of this year.

The development of the car is still a work-in-progress, as revealed by the engineers of AMG. The officials let it be known that the same signature gullwing style doors and aluminum-based lightweight body would be offered for the SLS eDrive. Even the interior of the car would be standard with minor changes in the switchgear in order to accommodate the underlying electric driveline.

According to the head of AMG, “The great thing is we haven’t had to alter the styling in any way.” He also pointed out that “The very nature of the SLS, with its sizeable engine bay, sturdy torque tube running back along the backbone of the car and the mounting point for fuel tank, lends itself perfectly to adaptation for electrification.”

The Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS eDrive will be a modified version of the standard rear-wheel-drive SLS.  It will be driven by a total of 392kW, coming from four 98-kW motors powering each wheel, providing a sturdy 649 lb-ft of torque.  By comparison, the SLS, powered by a modified version of AMG’s 6.2-liter V8 engine, provides 571 hp and 479 lb-ft.  The new zero-emission car would also include a new pushrod front suspension compared with the standard car’s double-wishbone arrangement.

The plug-in vehicle will use lithium-ion batteries. As stated, they would require 8 hours to recharge on standard outlets, and 5-6 hours if hooked up to a high-density power source.  Moreover, the fuel tank space behind the seats would be utilized for further battery capacity in the car.  All this means a range between 93 and 112 miles, supplemented by captured brake-energy.  Wolf Zimmermann, the head of SLS eDrive, asserts that the top speed of the car would be 120 mph and it would be capable of achieving an acceleration of 0-62 mph in under 4 seconds.

In the words of Mornhinweg, the ultimate goal of the car is being sporty along with electrification. He said, “The goal is to redefine the one-dimensional way electric cars drive today.”

“We didn’t want to do another concept car without any real relevance to what we’re doing today. Instead, we decided to bring the future to us by applying advanced technology we’d already been looking at to a car we’re just about to launch. “

With an expected release date of 2015, that advanced technology is sure to change in the meantime.  And with a long charge-time, limited electric range, and the hefty price-tag that is sure to be attached to any Mercedes plug-in model, one will wonder if this announcement is just meant to bring attention to its green-credentials at a time when every car company is flouting them.   On the other hand, it is possible that Mercedes really sees potential in the technology.   Even if it is just a marketing ploy, this announcement is a first step in getting acquainted with the engineering challenges that face every electric-car manufacturer.

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The bankrupt Chrysler has submitted a proposal to the Department of Energy to match the $224 million that it and its partners plan on devoting to the development and production of plug-in automobiles.  The funds would fall under the DOE’s program designed to promote the United States’ electric vehicle infrastructure.

Of the $448 million total allotment, Chrysler plans on using up to $83 million to construct an R&D/manufacturing hub in Michigan. The remaining $365 million would be used towards unveiling a “demonstration” fleet of 365 cars, which a select group of partners would be able to show off and test. The completion date for the construction project is set for 2010, after which they hope to churn out 20,000 vehicles a year.

Not coincidentally, this proposal has come out a day before a judge is set to rule on the company’s plans to sell many of its most valuable assets. The purchasing company is owned by the Canadian and U.S. governments, Italian carmaker Fiat Spa, and Chrysler’s union.

Taking into consideration Chrysler’s continuing financial woes and its competition,  the  20,000 vehicle a year goal is clearly optimistic .   However, the company’s ENVI unit has quietly been working on the underlying battery technology and design for a couple years.   They plan on rolling out several models utilizing an electric platform, including  a Chrysler Town & Country plug-in hybrid, a Dodge Circuit EV (both pictured), and a Jeep Wrangler hybrid.

At least one model is scheduled to be available by 2010.

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The new concept car by Bright Automotive is set to be unveiled in a few days in Washington D.C.   Eschewing the design practices of traditional auto makers, the hybrid vehicle will be built with lightweight, aerodynamic engineering as its core concept. This means stearing clear of large steel purchases and focusing on reducing the size and weight of its battery back.

The plug-in car is said to have a 30 mile all-electric range and will be coupled with a small gasoline engine. CEO John Waters expects to have an annual production rate of 50,000 vehicles per year by the end of 2013.

Before realizing this goal, however, the Indiana-based startup has to overcome a significant hurdle along the way: capital raising. Waters has said that his company requires $400 million in Department of Energy Loans before June 1st in order to meet its launch goal.   Any shortfalls would have to be covered by private investors.  The recent freeze up of credit markets makes this a challenging task, and there is a likelihood that the rollout will have to be delayed.   Another sign that a setback might be inevitable is that Bright Automotive is still conducting talks with major battery suppliers around the world.

Media outlets and consumers will be anticipating more information when the concept is rolled out on the 21st.

Update:  Bright’s new hybrid, called the Idea, was unveiled in Washington DC.  Executives from Bright Automotive made speeches in front of the Senate and House, hoping to garner support for a $450 million grant that would allow the company to begin mass production by 2012.

Mr. Waters called the plug-in vehicle the first “purpose-built, highly durable 100-mile-per gallon commercial utility vehicle.”  It has 180 cubic feet of space in its interior and is capable of carrying a payload up to 1 ton.  The Bright Idea can drive up to 30 miles using its electric engine solely.

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