BMW i8 Spyder, 6 Others Set To Be Fully Electrical As BMW Puts EV Development Into High Gear

Sep 14, 2016 04:00 AM EDT | Mariechris Felipe

The automotive industry will see up to 7 BMW all-electric cars in the coming years as the German carmaker steps into high gear with the production of their electronic vehicles. BMW is even skipping the highly anticipated Paris Motor Show to focus on their plans.

Among the electric plans are the BMW i8 Spyder, which is expected to go into production next year, a renewed BMW i3 with more battery capacity and greater autonomy, a fully-electric BMW 3 Series, an X4 EV and the Mini. All thanks to the "Project i 2.0" which seeks leadership in the field of EV and autonomous driving.

All Green Lights: Electric, Hybrid and Hydrogen

BMW is gearing for an all green strategy as they not only plan to produce electric vehicles but also hybrid and hydrogen-powered cars. Consumers can expect to see a "mini" plug-in hybrid, in addition to the all-electric ones and the creation of the "Mini." While information is scarce, the Mini is speculated to be a vehicle with hydrogen technology and could have up to 700 km of range. 

But the focus is still on electric. As sources are saying, the company plans to launch a fully electric version of the BMW 3 Series and the BMW X4. Rumors are high that the German brand is about to give a green light to these projects. The BMW 3 Series had been confirmed and is very close to production, with the Mini and X4 also close to being confirmed.

The electric BMW 3 Series is set to compete against the famous Tesla, specifically against the Tesla Model 3, with a price of about 40,000 euros, more expensive than its main competitor.

The cheapest of the three will be the Mini, to be launched at a price of less than 20,000 euros. If this amount is correct, it will be one of the most affordable green cars around.

Autonomous Driving Is Next

Regarding autonomous driving, BMW is reportedly working on its Project i2.0, which is aimed to "consolidate its position as the technological leader in this field" and focus on the development of high-definition maps, sensors and artificial intelligence.

In fact, with the launch of the BMW 7 Series, the company has already taken its first step, because this sedan can save the safety distance with other vehicles up to 210 km/h thanks to five radars. It can even be parked by a remote control.

Considering the increasing popularity of electric vehicles, BMW did a great job with their future plans. We can't wait to see what BMW EVs can offer consumers. Meanwhile, let's take a look back at the BMW i8 model as the first hybrid electric car of BMW by watching the video below. Soon, the carmaker's vehicles will all be electrical.

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