The BMW Group has declared that its new Megacity Vehicle will be launched in 2013.
The announcement was made by Norbert Reithofer, the chairman of the board of management for BMW AG, ahead of the Auto China 2010 show in Beijing.
The Megacity will be the first series production electric drive model on the market and is being developed as part of BMW’s project I. The German manufacturer is focusing on lightweight materials with ultra light and high strength composite CFRP (carbon fibre reinforced plastic) expected to play a significant role in the materials mix.
According to Reithofer, the vehicle will “radically alter the motor industry” and BMW is currently the only company that will be launching a volume production vehicle on the market with carbon fibre reinforced material.
It’s not the company’s first venture into the world of electric cars, however. It launched a global field test in mid-2009 of 600 MINI E models and will deliver 50 MINI E cars to customers in China this year.
