BMW is planning a third electric model for its new ‘i’ ‘Born Electric’ range, according to Germany’s Autobild magazine.

It is believed that the car maker could be planning a to launch an i5 compact MPV model in 2015 to complement its first two electric models; the i3 electric supermini and the i8 plug-in hybrid roadster.

It is expected that the i5 will sit between the i3 and i8 in terms of price and will be based on the i3 but feature a higher roofline and more luxuries.

Like the i3, the MPV’s rear wheels will be driven by an electric motor which will produce 167 bhp power and 184 lb/ft torque. A second version will be available with a range-extending combustion engine to compliment its electric power, meaning that power output will total 256bhp.

The i3 supermini is expected to launch first in 2013, followed by the i8 sports car in 2014.

We could well hear news of an i5 at the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show in March… stay tuned.

Electric car infrastructure firm Better Place launched its first programme this week in Israel.

The Californian-based firm which approaches the problem of recharging electric cars by using battery swap stations, launched its first wave of electric cars in the country as part of its partnership with Renault.

The fleet of 100 Renault Fluence electric cars will be the first cars to make use of the firm’s battery swapping system.

Drivers of the electric cars will be able to simply pop into a switching station whenever their battery is running low and swap it for a pre-fully charged one-a process that takes minutes rather than the hours needed to wait for a full charge. Drivers pay a monthly fee to use the swapping system rather than own a battery outright.

Better Place is also in the process of introducing its services in countries such as China, Denmark, Australia, Japan and North America.

The Chevrolet Volt may have become a ‘political punchbag’ (see story) in its native US but over here in the UK, Chevrolet dealers are expecting that demand will far outstrip supply.

According to Headlineauto.co.uk, Chevrolet UK has already been contacted by over 2,500 people interested in the Volt, before the model has even arrived on UK shores.

In an effort to meet demand, the UK arm of car maker is ‘fighting for production every month’ Chevrolet UK’s boss Mark Terry told the news agency.

The Volt goes on sale this spring, alongside its twin, the Vauxhall Ampera, but will have some different specifications and pricing than its sibling range-extended model. Terry said that people ‘who just won’t buy a Vauxhall’ but want the innovative petrol-electric technology, will turn to Chevrolet.

He is encouraged also by evidence that the famous US brand still has a cachet for UK buyers. "To put a Chevy on your drive is saying something," he said citing evidence that people downsizing from premium brands will chose Chevrolet over South Korean rivals Hyundai and Kia because "they want to go for a brand that says something."

Despite that evidence, Terry admits that the brand still needs some work. "Customers are beginning to understand it but there’s still a lot of work to do to show them it’s not a US gas guzzler."

Capable of recharging from mains electricity for emission-free electric-only driving, the Volt also features a petrol engine which can generate power for the battery, to extend the vehicle’s range to over 300 miles.

It will be the first Mazda vehicle to adopt SKYACTIV Technology in the powertrain, body and chassis – and now production has begun of the new Mazda CX-5.

The vehicle boasts a SKYACTIV-D 2.2litre diesel engine and is scheduled to go on sale in Japan and Europe this spring, before being introduced in other markets later this year. It marks a push for clean diesels in the Japanese market.

As for the engine itself, it is the first diesel engine that complies with global exhaust gas regulations without needing a nitrogen oxide after-treatment system. It controls fuel injection and improves the exhaust valve’s opening and closing mechanism helping the SKYACTIV-D diesel to resolve many of the issues that affected low compression ratio engines – including poor starting capabilities when the engine is cold. It also has the lowest compression ratio for a diesel engine in a mass produced vehicle at 14.0:1.

The new Mazda CX-5 was first introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November – it can deliver 155hp at 6,000rpm; while torque is measured at 203Nm at 4,000rpm.

You might not expect TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk to report on BMW introducing a new range of M Performance Automobiles – however, there is a distinctly green flavour to these new vehicles.

The vehicles boast a new six-cylinder in-line diesel engine and feature three turbochargers capable of delivering a maximum output of 280kW and peak torque of 740Nm. It is applied in the BMW 550d xDrive Sedan, the BMW M550d xDrive Touring, the BMW X5 M50d and the BMW X6 M50d. As an example, the BMW M550d xDrive Sedan can race from 0-62mph in 4.7seconds with a top speed of 155mph.

However, what sets the vehicles aside from an environmental standpoint is that they are equipped with an eight-speed sports automatic gearbox and BMW EfficientDynamics technologies, including ECO PRO Mode and auto start-stop. This keeps fuel consumption of the BMW M550d xDrive Sedan to 37.3mpg with CO2 emissions at 165g/km. This means the vehicle meets Euro 6 exhaust standards.

One of the key features is an exhaust treatment system that boasts a diesel particulate filter and an oxidation catalytic converter. This helps to minimise the formation of nitrogen oxides.

In addition, the new line-up of BMW M Performance Automobiles will also mark the introduction of the most powerful diesel engine ever fitted by BMW.

It will have a maximum output of 280kW/381hp and maximum torque of 740Nm as low down as 2,000rpm.

Keep your eye on the FIA World Endurance Championships, with Toyota Racing to introduce its new TS030 Hybrid at the event.

The successor to both the TS010 and TS020 vehicles that participated inLe Mansraces during the 1990s, it marks the first time a vehicle has competed in the World Endurance Championships with a hybrid system. Toyota Racing also plans to enter the Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on May 5; and the Le Mans 24 Hours on June 16-17.

Included in the TS030 is the THS-R powertrain which is meant to deliver maximum performance. It includes a V8 normally aspirated petrol engine and a hybrid system with capacitor storage. As with Toyota’s road cars, energy is generated during braking, and the TS030 can operate in electric only mode – meaning it achieves zero emissions and zero fuel consumption. Also included is a carbon fibre LMP1 chassis.

The vehicle was tested at a French track, which included running in darkness.

According to Yoshiaki Kinoshita, the team’s president, Toyota Racing is realistic about its ambitions. Though it would love to win Le Mans, its target this year is to show the performance levels of the car and the powertrain.

The Energy Saving Trust will be the main sponsor for an annual event aimed at promoting the benefits of low carbon vehicles in April.

The one-day EV & Low CO2 Fleet Show – held at the world-renowned Silverstone racing circuit in Northamptonshire – will allow fleet decision makers to experience the plus-points of electric, hybrid and low-carbon vehicles first hand behind the wheel.

With a wider vehicle range and stronger charging infrastructure than 12 months ago, Nigel Underdown [pictured], the Energy Saving Trust’s Head of Transport Advice, believes that the show could further boost the popularity of low carbon strategies amongst senior fleet decision makers.

He commented: “This year is a really important year for electric vehicles and, while grants were launched last year, we now have more products, more infrastructure, new grants for vans and a much better understanding of how the business case for EVs stands up.

“The EV & Low CO2 Fleet Show is the perfect opportunity for us to share that with fleet decision makers keen to embrace a new generation of vehicles but not sure how well they will fit within their businesses.”

A delighted Ross Durkin, Managing Editor of Fleet World – organisers of the event – said that the Energy Saving Trust was the perfect fit for the sponsor slot.

“This year’s EV and Low CO2 Fleet Show will allow company decision makers to evaluate all the options for their fleets by talking to the industry’s leading experts in this field,” said Durkin.

“There’s enormous potential for EVs in the fleet sector – traditionally the earliest adopters of new vehicle technology.”

He concluded saying that the EST would play a key role in delivering up-to-date information to visitors on all the other technologies currently available.

The EV & Low CO2 Fleet Show opens on Wednesday 18 April at Silverstone’s Wing conference and event facility. Visit evfleetshow.co.uk for more info or give that piccy a clicky.  

The lowest emission non-hybrid car currently available, the Kia Rio just got more appealing with the addition of a three door model.

It is the first time that Kia has produced a three door version of its Rio model, with the new car available to order now. Prices for the three-door version start from £9,995-with savings of £600 compared to five door models whatever trim and engine you choose.

The five door model went on sale back in September, when it took the crown as the cleanest non-electrified model available with emissions from as low as 85g/km CO2 and fuel economy as strong as 88.3mpg on a combined cycle.

The Rio three-door is available with a choice of four engines-two petrol and two diesel. The 1.1 CRDi is the lowest emission engine, with the three-door models available with emissions from 94g/km CO2. EcoDynamics technologies, such as Intelligent Stop & Go, are a standard feature with all new Rio diesels, including the 1.4-litre models. The 1.4 CRDi EcoDynamics develops 89bhp and 220Nm of torque yet achieves 70.6mpg combined and emits just 105 g/km of CO_2.

The two petrol engines are the 1.25-litre Kappa engine and the 1.4-litre Gamma engine. Both engines exceed 50mpg, with CO₂ emissions below the below 130g/km. Even the 1.4-litre automatic version of the Rio is capable of 44.1mpg on a combined cycle drive.

Rio 3-door is offered in the same four trim grades– badged ‘1’, ‘1 Air’, ‘2’ and ‘3’ –  as the five door version.

Even on entry level ‘1’, standard features include daytime running lights, body-coloured bumpers, headlamp levelling, front electric windows, 15-inch steel wheels, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, two-way steering column adjustment on the petrol model (height-adjustable only on the entry level diesel), a tachometer and trip computer, split folding rear seats, a 12-volt power socket and an MP3-compatible RDS radio and CD player with USB and AUX ports.  Bluetooth is also standard on the petrol entry model, and on all versions with other trim grades.

The ‘1 Air’ grade is for buyers who want the comfort of air conditioning without upgrading to level ‘2’.

The new Kia Care-3 package is also available for the Rio for just £259 including VAT, which covers the first three services – either 36 months or 30,000 miles or the Care-3 Plus package is just £499 including VAT which covers the first five services – either 60 months or 50,000 miles.

Japanese carmaker Nissan is now ranked as the number two Asian automotive brand in the Americas– after an incredible year that saw it record 1,561,230 vehicle sales across its Nissan and Infiniti brands.

Already established as Japan’s second largest carmaker, Nissan is now set to invest heavily on furthering its ambitions in the region. It will invest up to $2.0billion in a manufacturing complex in Aguascalientes, Mexico, which will complement two existing factories in the country – and is scheduled to begin operations in 2013.

Incredibly, the company’s sales growth was consistent across all of the geographic regions of the Americas – although it was the US, Mexico and Brazil that posted the largest gains.

Compared to last year, Nissan and Infiniti vehicles enjoyed 229,000 more sales – that’s up 17.2 per cent compared to 2010.

Toyotameanwhile, retains the leading position among Asian carmakers in the region – it sold 1.85million units during the year. Honda is in third place with 1.29million units; followed by Hyundai with 1.03million units; and Kia with 659,000 sales.

BMW is ‘calling all electronauts’ as it opens the recruitment process for drivers interested in leasing its first electric car model as part of trials taking place in the US.

From this week, the German car maker begins the hunt for 700 drivers in the Boston, Hartford, New York, Los Angeles, Sacremento, San Diego and San Francisco areas. The electric car, based on the car maker’s 1 Series model will be available to lease in these first trial regions for $499 a month on a 24 month contract with a down payment of $2,250.

With vehicles available on a first come, first served basis, interested motorists are advised to head to www.bmwusa.com/ActiveE to apply to take part in the trial.

The first field trials of the prototype models then commence as drivers join the trial, with similar trials to take place in Europe and China too. In total, BMW expects to trial 1,100 of the ActiveE vehicles, produced at the firm’s plant in Leipzig, Germany. The details of trials in other regions have yet to be confirmed, but we know that the trials of the ActiveE will prove an important part in the car maker’s plans to electrify its range. The firm hopes that findings from the field trial will provide direct insight into series production of its first purpose-built, mass-produced electric vehicles, the BMW i3 in 2013 and the i8 in 2014.

The ActiveE car has a 32 Kwh lithium-ion battery, that delivers a range of around 100 miles, coupled with a 125 kW electric synchronous motor that drives the rear wheels. It takes around eight seconds to reach 60mph and has a limited top speed of 90mph.