[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by gangzoom

Having recently sold my much loved E90 335i, for a Nissan Leaf (on lease), with a view of buying a P85 Tesla S in 2 years time when the Leaf lease expires, this is most exciting news I've seen from BMW for ages.

BMW already have the most advanced production line to intergrate carbon fiber into the chassis to save weight. That couple with experiences from the i3/i8, along with a mass production capacity Tesla just don't have (At the moment), means if BMW get it right the i5 could dominate the market.....

All of a sudden I'm wondering if I should extend the lease for the Leaf till 2019...One thing is for sure, exciting times ahead

Dude, the Tesla S in built in the former Toyota/GM Joint venture facility called NUMMI in Fremont California. It's a former GM manufacturing facility built in 1962. It is fully capable of high-rate automobile manufacturing and as of May 2014 is producing 700 Tesla S per week. Tesla is light-years a head of BMW in regards to high-rate EV production.

The i8 is a fricking lab rat compared to a Tesla S.

LOL.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by red-sauerkraut

Tesla is years ahead of BMWi.

It is BMWi thats needs to be worried !

LOL. Fanboyz. BMW puts out "news" of a i5, which at this point is just a neat drawing on a screen. And knuckleheads are already claiming it a sales victory over a car that is set for production release by late 2016 with deliveries in 2017. And a company that has been producing EVs for the past 12 years (and has a real EV that has a 300-mile range) is supposed to fear BMW, which finally came out with an 80-mile range butt-ugly EV just 10 months ago?

LOL

[antzcrashing]

Originally Posted by r3dbimmer89

Isn't the i3 actually selling really well in North America? I read somewhere that it's one of the best selling electric cars on the market already.

No.

[techwhiz]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Dude, the Tesla S in built in the former Toyota/GM Joint venture facility called NUMMI in Fremont California. It's a former GM manufacturing facility built in 1962. It is fully capable of high-rate automobile manufacturing and as of May 2014 is producing 700 Tesla S per week. Tesla is light-years a head of BMW in regards to high-rate EV production.

The i8 is a fricking lab rat compared to a Tesla S.

LOL.

That plant originally had two truck and one car line.
They built extended cab trucks, dual wheel trucks and that crappy little front drive Caddy back in 1981.

During the peak they could produce >50 per hour in that plant.
Tesla just announced expansion into now a defunct Solyndra building. Seagate took over the other.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by techwhiz

That plant originally had two truck and one car line.
They built extended cab trucks, dual wheel trucks and that crappy little front drive Caddy back in 1981.

During the peak they could produce >50 per hour in that plant.
Tesla just announced expansion into now a defunct Solyndra building. Seagate took over the other.

Under NUMMI it built the Pontiac Vibe and Toyota Corolla, both high volume production cars.

[ORIGIN M.]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Under NUMMI it built the Pontiac Vibe and Toyota Corolla, both high volume production cars.

You are correct.

Tons of Corollas and Geo Prizm's ...

That Plant was a smart grab by Musk!

[YWGT3]

Originally Posted by red-sauerkraut

You are correct.

Tons of Corollas and Geo Prizm's ...

That Plant was a smart grab by Musk!

According to MIT Technology Review, Musk's Tesla is ranked 1st in smartest company for 2015 with his SpaceX coming in 22nd place. See list at the following link: http://www.technologyreview.com/lists/companies/2015/ Notably, BMW was ranked 7th by MIT Tech. Review for 2014!

[3s-a-charm]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

That is not the point.
The i3 is a model from BMWi it has no bearing with standard BMW Portfolio.

Scott, if this was the intent... They shouldn't have used 3, 8 and now (rumored) 5 as these are paralleled too easily to the BMW lineup.

At least BMW i is named better than "Model S" I have to admit.

[3s-a-charm]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

Its not just about North America.

No, but obviously the largest automobile markets shouldn't be ignored.
#1 China (they seem to like futuristic and strange looking cars)
#2 U.S. (Conservative exteriors with lavish interiors)
#3 EU (anything goes exteriors and simple utilitarian interiors)

(Have I generalized enough LOL)

I'm surprised BMW i decided to go so "futuristic" with the designs. I personally love the styling of the i8 - but that should have been the BMW 850i (another topic...). Tesla has certainly proved that an EV doesn't have to say, "Look at my strange car - I'm helping the planet." That's why I bought one versus the 650i Gran Coupe I was close to committing to. EV is absolutely without a doubt the car of the future (coming from a car guy).

[ORIGIN M.]

Originally Posted by 3s-a-charm

Scott, if this was the intent... They shouldn't have used 3, 8 and now (rumored) 5 as these are paralleled too easily to the BMW lineup.

At least BMW i is named better than "Model S" I have to admit.

Tesla in a flattering way is copying Ford in the beginning.

Model A...
Model T...

Model S
Model E [3] III
Model X

[ORIGIN M.]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

The BMWi philosophy " Born Electric" means they are not standard cars electrified but separate concepts designed to offer sustainable mobility, born from their own technology and platforms not shared with existing BMW models.

Only the i3 BEV is born electric !

The i3 REx & the i8 were born hybrids !!

[Dog Face Pony Soldier]

Originally Posted by 3s-a-charm

No, but obviously the largest automobile markets shouldn't be ignored.
#1 China (they seem to like futuristic and strange looking cars)
#2 U.S. (Conservative exteriors with lavish interiors)
#3 EU (anything goes exteriors and simple utilitarian interiors)

(Have I generalized enough LOL)

I'm surprised BMW i decided to go so "futuristic" with the designs. I personally love the styling of the i8 - but that should have been the BMW 850i (another topic...). Tesla has certainly proved that an EV doesn't have to say, "Look at my strange car - I'm helping the planet." That's why I bought one versus the 650i Gran Coupe I was close to committing to. EV is absolutely without a doubt the car of the future (coming from a car guy).

BMW probably saw the dismal track record of hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles sharing a conventional vehicle's styling and quickly decided to provide unique and easily identifiable styling for their i brand. I can't think of any successful EV/hybrid/alternative fuel vehicle that shares its design with a conventionally powered vehicle. My theory is that the target audience desires the (assumed) street cred a vehicle like this is supposed to deliver. A car that isn't immediately identifiable as an environmentalist's car just doesn't seem to deliver what those buyers apparently value.

[YWGT3]

Originally Posted by Kyle B

100% love it. I take it this is the car that is supposed to be available in 2020?

Spoke with an i rep who says the timetable for the i5 wil be moved up to 2019!

[Fundguy1]

Sad sad car. Next

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by yw

Spoke with an i rep who says the timetable for the i5 wil be moved up to 2019!

yea? very interesting. I really think I have one more gas-powered car in my future, after that I'm going electric with Tesla or BMW.

[Fundguy1]

Until they fix range and refueling so I can do a lap of America and not have to plug it in for a day every 300 miles it's a useless curiosity. I did see my first I3 on the road yesterday. That makes 20 electric cars on the road lifetime. Including tesla, volt, etc. And I drive 50,000 miles a year. I see more Lamborghinis than electrics in Florida. Not exactly a sound business plan.

[matbl]

Originally Posted by Fundguy1

Until they fix range and refueling so I can do a lap of America and not have to plug it in for a day every 300 miles it's a useless curiosity. I did see my first I3 on the road yesterday. That makes 20 electric cars on the road lifetime. Including tesla, volt, etc. And I drive 50,000 miles a year. I see more Lamborghinis than electrics in Florida. Not exactly a sound business plan.

Go testdrive a Tesla and read up on their supercharger network. And please be intelligent and understand what you read as well.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by matbl

Go testdrive a Tesla and read up on their supercharger network. And please be intelligent and understand what you read as well.

Seriously. I really don't understand all the electric car fearmongering here.

In my own neighbourhood, I see more Teslas than 1ers everyday.

[matbl]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

Seriously. I really don't understand all the electric car fearmongering here.

In my own neighbourhood, I see more Teslas than 1ers everyday.

Maybe they are frightened that BMW as a company will be left behind in the dust or that their precious gas-engine is soon going to die.
It's usually fear that inspires fearmongering. Otherwise one can argue with sane arguments...

[MalibuBimmer]

BMW, with its new carbon fiber manufacturing plant and system will definitely be involved in the next wave of all electric vehicles. All we need is smaller and lighter battery technology and induction charging. In the meantime, ICE remains the best way to go long distances quickly.

What a lot of people here resent is trolls coming on this website, slamming BMW and touting a transitional technology as if it were the ultimate perfection of battery power. It's not. Nor is BMW's i3 (or i8). They are all transitional vehicles, each in its own niche.

A vehicle that has a half ton or more of battery (7000 of them, actually) and takes a long time to charge every 150 miles is not God's gift to automobiles. But, then, neither is an electric car that needs an ICE to extend its range.

I've been a BMW buyer for almost 45 years. I love BMW ICE. But I look forward to the day when BMW's will be all electric. As between BMW and other manufacturers (upstarts as well as veteran car companies), I think BMW has a chance to do it right and best. Tesla, for example, probably won't be in business in 2020.

[matbl]

Originally Posted by MalibuBimmer

BMW, with its new carbon fiber manufacturing plant and system will definitely be involved in the next wave of all electric vehicles. All we need is smaller and lighter battery technology and induction charging. In the meantime, ICE remains the best way to go long distances quickly.

What a lot of people here resent is trolls coming on this website, slamming BMW and touting a transitional technology as if it were the ultimate perfection of battery power. It's not. Nor is BMW's i3 (or i8). They are all transitional vehicles, each in its own niche.

A vehicle that has a half ton or more of battery (7000 of them, actually) and takes a long time to charge every 150 miles is not God's gift to automobiles. But, then, neither is an electric car that needs an ICE to extend its range.

I've been a BMW buyer for almost 45 years. I love BMW ICE. But I look forward to the day when BMW's will be all electric. As between BMW and other manufacturers (upstarts as well as veteran car companies), I think BMW has a chance to do it right and best. Tesla, for example, probably won't be in business in 2020.

I need to correct a few things here. I moved from BMW to Tesla because all electric is what matters and no other car company could or can deliver a decent fully electric car. No it's not in any way perfect, I look forward to a BMW that does it better but right nie, that doesn't seem to be happening even in 2020...

As for the Tesla, if I'm not mistaken it has ~9000 batteries and no I don't have to charge it for a long time every 150 miles. But rather for 40-60 minutes every 250 miles when on a road trip. For day to day driving, it's always fully charged each morning from the standard power outlet in my garage.

I look forward to the day when BMW can offer me the same or better.

[DCG]

Smart! Now get' er done BMW.