BMW again has a problem with the high-voltage batteries in plug-in hybrid vehicles. Due to possible impurities in the production process of the battery cells, there is an increased risk of fire in several series.
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The last i8 to be made left the Leipzig BMW plant on Thursday. Production of the PHEV was actually supposed to end in mid-April. But since the factory was shut down because of the coronavirus crisis, the end of production was postponed to June.
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German police recently confiscated a heavily-modified BMW i8 after the driver of the hybrid super sports car posted a video of himself doing 200 kph on a country road.
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Oliver Zipse had made it clear in October that BMW is planning something new with the i3 electric car until further notice. Now there’s also a hint for how long – and clearly beyond the premieres of the iNext and i4.
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BMW will discontinue production of its i8 plug-in hybrid sports car in April 2020. This information is somewhat hidden in a press release from the carmaker on new special models for the i8 and the all-electric i3.
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That BMW boss Harald Krüger stumbled over his passive e-mobility strategy, is considered likely in the industry. What will happen under his successor Oliver Zipse remains unclear. However, insiders now deliberated a few details on BMW’s planned models.
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BMW is to receive fewer German government subsidies for the construction of the i3 and i8 at its Leipzig plant than it had applied for. The federal German government originally considered paying BMW 45 million euros, but the EU Commission only approved 17 million.
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For the next generation of its i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, BMW is apparently in favour of a fully electric drive with core elements from the BMW iNext’s electric all-wheel drive. The battery cells could be supplied by the Chinese manufacturer CATL.
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VW is planning to upgrade their manufacturing capacities in Wolfsburg and Dresden during the summer months from 120 vehicles to 160 e-Golfs manufactured daily. They are not the only ones to do so.
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After BMW started serial production of the i8 Roadster in Leipzig in early March, the first models of the open version of the plug-in hybrid have now been delivered. The BMW i8 club has received the keys for the first 18 vehicles.
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BMW is investing more than 300 million euro in the expansion of their Leipzig factory, where the i3 and the i8 models are manufactured. The focus is on several major construction endeavors to improve and modernise chassis construction, painting, assembly and logistics.
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BMW has begun making the i8 Roadster at its Leipzig facility, where it will roll off the same lines as the i8 Coupé. Clients may customise their plug-in hybrid and both variants are expected to hit the markets in May.
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BMW has skipped its plans for an electric i5 and i9 but seeks to replace the latter through a smaller but spacious i7. That is at least what Georg Kacher says, known as insider to the branch. Moreover, the BMW i3 shall get a successor called iX1.
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England’s somewhat faltering football star Wayne Rooney has lost his drive. That is his driver’s license and Rooney now wants to sell his BMW i8. The clock shows less than 13,000 km and the footballer asks no more than 64,995 pounds on Autotrader. Any keepers?
autotrader.co.uk (listing) via carscoops.com
BMWi got its own strategy and so there may not be a next-gen i3 and i8 again and again. Instead, expect whole new models, that showcase novel technology and use cases, BMWi bosses told Autocar.
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In the spotlights of the Los Angeles Auto Show, BMW finally introduced its i8 Roadster as well as a facelift of the coupe’s version with up to four seats. Especially the electric drivetrain and the battery have seen a technical update.
Read moreBMW sold 29,513 units from its i-series worldwide last year. That is an increase of almost 66 percent compared to 2014. A total of 24,057 buyers chose the BMW i3, while another 5,456 opted for the sporty i8 hybrid.
bmwgroup.com
BMW i sold 2,221 i-series vehicles worldwide in July. That is a 79.4 percent year-on-year increase. Total sales of the i3 and i8 this year thus stand at 14,784 units sold.
bmwgroup.com
Paris to clear up: “In the four central districts – apart from bikes, buses and taxis – the only vehicles allowed will be residents’ cars, delivery vehicles and emergency vehicles,” Paris’ mayor Anne Hidalgo told Journal du Dimanche. The new rules will first be imposed on weekends only but may be expanded quickly. Furthermore, Hidalgo plans to introduce an e-bike sharing scheme in the French capital.
france24.com, uk.news.yahoo.com
Plug-in Volvo pricing: Volvo has opened the order books for the second generation XC90 in Europe. The top of the range plug-in hybrid XC90 T8 starts at a price of 76,705 euros and is available solely as a seven-seater. The hybrid setup boasts 400 hp with a torque of up to 640 Nm.
autoexpress.co.uk, worldcarfans.com
BMW 3-series update: The plug-in hybrid will apparently come at the same price as a comparable combustion model like the 328i, project leader Helmuth Wiesler told Fleet News. His reasoning for the “same charge” strategy revolves around performance. Meanwhile, James Taylor took a “far-down-the-line prototype” of the hybrid BMW 3 on a test ride and was glad to find it “still drives like a 3-series.”
fleetnews.co.uk, carmagazine.co.uk (Review)
BMW i8 recall: Fuel tank issues have caused BMW to recall about 500 i8 worldwide. In the U.S., potentially 223 hybrid sports cars manufactured between May 16 to September 16, 2014 are affected by a defective bolt which could cause a fuel leak and lead to a fire.
bmwblog.com, insideevs.com
Battery replacement program: Nissan now offers European owners of the Leaf and e-NV200 to buy a brand-new 24 kWh replacement battery pack for 4,920 pounds (likely 5,000 euros). Buyers will also receive a 1,000 pounds cashback for the their old battery.
autoexpress.co.uk, transportevolved.com
The electric Harley Live Wire is not likely to see the light of the day anytime soon as it does not live up to customer expectations. Only a new battery generation would enable a range as desired by first inquirers, while the current estimated price of 50,000 dollars would need to be halved.
autoblog.com