BMW struggle with Electric Cars

[grober]

Couple more piccy's
the engine compartment- the prominent rectangular black charging unit is mounted above the front mounted electric motor.

the battery layout

FROM

Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive Photos

 

[ashenfie]

Merc are suffering from the break up with the deal from Tesla last year.

All the car manufactures are rushing into this space with rapid drop in battery costs and perceived appetite for electric cars.

It going to be intestine to see if tesla can make mass market cars or Merc/BMW can make electric cars a reasonable cost

 

[grober]

Their choice of lead publicity vehicle may be an indicator of the geographical and entry level markets they are likely to target?

Merc's electric car plan will 'transform' the whole company | Top Gear

 

[grober]

Safety data

The latest safety data on electric cars. These videos always make me cringe! The Tesla S doesn't do too well on the small overlap test. Unfortunately the Electric Mercedes B CLASS is not tested.*
Two electric cars miss IIHS awards

*euroncap on B class and BMW i3-- Not sure how the additional battery weight and smaller front powerplant in the electric version of the Bclass would influence any result if at all.

Official Mercedes Benz B Class 2011 safety rating results

Official BMW i3 2013 safety rating results

 

[grober]

General Motors have recently brought out the Chevrolet BOLT. Due to be sold in Europe as the Ampera-e under the Opel banner. Good range and not bad styling either.
Unfortunately not destined for the UK at this point- perhaps Chevrolet previous experience in the UK has put them off?
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/2017-opel-ampera-e-is-a-bolt-of-electricity-for-europe/

 

[Alf Barnet]

Forgetting the original link is a year old, and that Tesla is an all aboard Ponzi scheme by the best salesman since Preston Tucker, the Bolt is very interesting. RHD not Chevy badges is the problem with U.K. Sales apparently. The Paris show cars were interesting because they were just cars, not "eco cars" the Paris Bolts didn't even have low rolling resistance tyres fitted.

 

[ashenfie]

Forgetting the original link is a year old, and that Tesla is an all aboard Ponzi scheme by the best salesman since Preston Tucker, the Bolt is very interesting. RHD not Chevy badges is the problem with U.K. Sales apparently. The Paris show cars were interesting because they were just cars, not "eco cars" the Paris Bolts didn't even have low rolling resistance tyres fitted.

The Bolt seams not destine to be mass market more a statement.

Many post here are old links to the Merc B-Class/Tesla. I thought that Tesla pulled out of the deal and Merc sold there shares

 

[Alf Barnet]

Lots of pictures of the yellow Bolt, so here is one of my mine in a far soberer colour:







Bog standard non vehicle specific tyres (what do you mean who cares!) Still at least their reasonable!

https://www.camskill.co.uk/m54b0s30...Eff_:_C_Wet_Grip:_A_NoiseClass:_2_Noise:_69dB

 

[ashenfie]

Its interesting that the Bolt is Final assembly is in Detroit while Battery and drivetrain (motor and drive unit) at LG South Korea.

So it an interest combo

 

[grober]

BMW i5 Saloon to take on the TESLA MODEL 3
Striking new BMW i5 electric saloon car to take on Tesla | Auto Express

 

[bolide]

One of the problems with bleeding-edge technology is speed of change. So, when designing a new product - particularly one as complex as a car - designers and engineers are pretty much forced to work with current technology, meaning the car contains some degree of obsolete technology on launch

Back in the 1990s, when digital mixing consoles were being developed, one manufacturer (can't remember if it was Sony or SSL) designed the basic concept without knowing what hardware it would use. They could then implement it with the technology & hardware at hand when it was time to build it

Whichever approach you take it must be a fairly fraught process bringing high-tech products to market

Nick Froome