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.

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.

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.

Ahead of the roll-out of the BMW ActiveE electric car, the German carmaker has teamed up with Tendril – a cloud-based energy management platform provider – to demonstrate a smart energy home.

The smart energy home, in Mountain View, California, is meant to help refine the charging of the ActiveE – with Tendril’s energy management platform, known as Tendril Connect, providing connectivity to the electric vehicle charging station from local utilities and energy service providers. Meanwhile, Tendril Energize, a series of applications that include a web portal, will monitor the charging station.

The idea is that this will provide important insight into the location of electric vehicles on the grid distribution network and help to manage hotspots in the growth of energy consumption.

In addition, the BMW smart energy home will include a solar panel installation, smart thermostats, residential lighting, home appliances and other smart devices. Together, BMW and Tendril will integrate the battery charging station to help mitigate its impact during peak periods of electricity demand.

The Tendril Connect system has been built from the ground up with the aim of handling “big data” – it is currently licensed by 35 customers including the likes of Siemens Energy and a host of smart meter communications vendors.

BMW is to introduce three new powertrains to its 1 Series hatch range including a new 116d EfficientDynamics model.

The new BMW 116d EfficientDynamics is powered by a 116hp, four-cylinder 1.6-litre TwinPower Turbo diesel engine emits just 99g/km CO₂ and returns 74.3mpg –making it the most efficient series-production BMW to date. Despite its eco-credentials, the car is also powered from zero to 62mph in 10.5 seconds, while peak torque of 260Nm ensures a smooth delivery of power.  The impressive economy figures come courtesy of optimized features including a centrifugal pendulum, longer final drive ratio, Optimum Shift Indicators, 10mm lower suspension and reduced rolling resistance tyres.

Based on the current SE specification, the BMW 116d EfficientDynamics comes with 16-inch light alloy V-spoke wheels, Bluetooth hands-free with USB audio interface, front foglights, multifunction leather steering wheel and BMW Professional Radio with freestanding 6.5-inch Display and iDrive controller.

Thanks to its low CO₂ emissions of just 99g/km the BMW 116d EfficientDynamics qualifies for the lowest BIK rate of 13 per cent, while offering a 100 per cent write down allowance in the first year, a 100 per cent discount on the London Congestion Charge and zero Vehicle Excise Duty.

The BMW 116d EfficientDynamics is on sale from March 2012 with prices starting from £20,885 OTR.

125d and 125i complete the BMW 1 Series 5-door Hatch line up

The two other new engines set to join the 1 Series range this March are the 125i and 125d, only available in M Sport guise and both featuring ventilated front and rear brake discs and dual chrome exhaust tailpipes as standard.

The BMW 125d features a 2.0-litre BMW TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder diesel engine, with two-stage twin turbo.  Developing 218hp and up to 450Nm of torque, it launches from zero to 62mph in a mere 6.5 seconds. This impressive performance doesn’t hamper the cars economy too much, with 57.6mpg and emitting 129g/km CO₂ on the combined cycle.

The BMW 125i introduces BMW’s latest 2.0-litre TwinPower Turbo petrol engine with TwinScroll turbo.  Accelerating from zero to 62mph in just 6.5 seconds it develops 310Nm of torque and 218hp, while still managing to return 44.1mpg and emit CO₂ emissions of just 152g/km.

The BMW 125i M Sport costs from £26,030 OTR while the BMW 125d M Sport is available from £27,820 OTR.

BMW is revving up for the launch of two new hybrid cars – the BMW ActiveHybrid 3 and the BMW ActiveHybrid5. Now it has announced that A123Systems will supply the lithium-ion batteries for the vehicles.

According to A123Systems, it will supply its 32113 cylindrical power batteries for the vehicles. They use a high power M1Ultra electrode design with a power density of more than 2,700W/kg and 6,000W/L with normal discharge of 550W.

Within the ActiveHybrid5 it will be encased in a special high strength housing positioned between the wheel arches and the luggage area. This reduces the load capacity to 375litres – which is 145litres less than that of the BMW 5 Series Sedan. It can store enough energy for an all-electric driving range of 2.5miles at an average speed of 22mph.

Both models will be shown at the North American International Auto Show this week and are expected to go on sale in the USA in 2012.

Two of world’s motoring giants are thought to be in talks about a partnership for the development of fuel cell vehicles.

According to news reports from Germany, BMW and GM are thought to be in the advance stages of negotiations and could be announcing a partnership at the Detroit Motor in January next year. 

German magazine  Wirtschaftswoche reports that the partnership could see BMW access GM’s existing fuel cell technology and contribute to future development costs in return.

BMW has so far focused on hybrid and electric cars as part of its greener, alternative fuel strategy, and by joining with GM the German car maker would gain a hugely useful boost into the sector. Its rival, Daimler, already has plans to launch a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle by 2014.

With a host of new engines, the new BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe is sure to set pulses racing – however, surprisingly, it should offer real appeal to green car fans too.

The vehicle will be offered as three distinct models in the USA– the TwinPower turbo six-cylinder; which will be followed by a TwinPower turbo V8; and the all-wheel drive 650i xDrive. The six-cylinder engine itself has been fine tuned with high precision direct injection and VALVETRONIC variable valve timing, as well as a twin scroll turbo.

The 640i Gran Coupe can race from 0-62mph in just 5.4seconds, has a top speed of 155mph and has fuel economy of 30.2mpg. Meanwhile, the BMW 650i Gran Coupe travels from 0-62mph in 4.6seconds with a top speed of 155mph and average fuel consumption of 26.7-27.3mpg.

However, what is particularly notable about the vehicle is that as well as offering sportier and more comfortable drive settings it also comes with options for extra fuel efficiency – such as an ECO PRO mode.

ECO PRO mode offers a more efficient and economy conscious driving style. It changes the accelerator mapping so the same pedal travel delivers less power than during standard mode. It also uses an automatic transmission control strategy to ensure faster up-shifts; while intelligent energy and climate management reduces the mechanical power consumption and the consumption of electrical systems including heated mirrors and seats. 

In addition, ECO PRO mode has special displays in the instrument cluster to let the driver know how much the driving range is being extended. It allows average fuel consumption to be reduced by 20 per cent, with a corresponding increase in driving range.

Earlier this week we told you that Toyota and BMW were likely to form a partnership on green cars (see article) – and now that news has been made official.

The companies have signed a memorandum of understanding for a mid- to long-term collaboration on next generation environment friendly technologies. It will see BMW and Toyota collaborate on lithium-ion technologies and there is also an agreement in place to discuss other possible collaborations. Furthermore, Toyota Motor Europe and BMW have entered into a contract for BMW to supply 1.6litre and 2.0litre diesel engines to Toyota starting in 2014.

According to Takeshi Uchivamada, the executive vice president of Toyota Motor Group, the battery technology that the companies will develop together will be the key to replacing petrol fuel. He believes it is necessary to improve on existing lithium-ion batteries that are being used in Toyota’s hybrid cars; and it has chosen to work with BMW to get the technology to a higher level as quickly as possible.

It is the first time that German carmaker BMW has teamed up with a Japanese car company and Dr Klaus Draeger, a member of the board of management of BMW AG, is pleased with the collaboration. He noted that whoever has the best batteries in terms of function, cost and quality will win more customers and so it makes sense for experienced and innovative companies to pool their expertise and power for these future-orientated technologies.

Toyota and BMW are in talks for a partnership for greener vehicles, according to Reuters today.

No official announcements have yet been made, but reports from Japan suggest that a proposed agreement could see BMW provide fuel efficient diesel engines for Toyota mid-size models sold in Europe.

In return, Toyota could share its hybrid technology with German car maker, as the European brand prepares to launch its first hybrid car- the 5-Series ActiveHybrid-set to launch in February next year.

Japanese publication Nikkei suggests that the deal could help Toyota improve the competitiveness of its diesel vehicles as the brand struggles with a strong Yen, which is making it hard for the company to control costs in Europe.

The world’s largest car maker already has an agreement with Ford over the development of hybrid trucks and SUVs.