Luxury EV Future
The MegaCity Vehicle project has been officially revealed with the first ones ready to hit the showroom in 2013
- Published: 9/07/2010 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: Motoring
The MegaCity Vehicle project has been officially revealed with the first ones ready to hit the showroom in 2013.
BMW’s illustration of MCV reveals a very efficient package.
- Ah, so BMW believes the future is electric...
BMW says vehicle emissions in the US, Europe and Japan are envisioned to drop by 30% in 2020 when compared to 2008. It also cites a UN report that 60% of the world's population will live in big cities in 2030, 70% by 2050.
That is why BMW is moving ahead with its MegaCity Vehicle project with the first ones ready to hit the showroom in 2013 under a new sub-brand. Electrified drivetrains will be the key ingredient of MCV.
- Is this pic for real?
What you see on this page is an official illustration of MCV handed out by BMW. It previews a very efficient package with compact dimensions and lightweight body.
Dubbed "project i" internally, BMW's MCV started taking shape three years ago and is said to feature a single construction of the battery, drive system and structural and crash functions within the chassis.
- And what kind of power can we expect?
As stated in the sidebar to this story, MCV highlights an electric drivetrain with a single-speed transmission placed in the rear, thus driving the rear wheels.
The reason why BMW thinks one-speed gearbox is enough is that a 150kph top speed should be ample for real-world use. Driving faster than that would simply go against the concept of efficiency - it would just drain more power.
Technically speaking, though, BMW says it can engineer MCV to go faster. But that would require more forward gears translating into a bigger and heavier package. As said earlier, BMW stresses lightweight and compact design for MCV.
- How far can the car go on one charge?
BMW hasn't disclosed any figures for MCV yet, although its two current prototypes - the Mini E and Concept E - are capable of running up to 150 to 160 kilometres on a single charge. And with MCV obviously being lighter in weight than these two, it could go over 200km.
BMW has learned from cars it leased that customers usually recharged their cars at home, despite the availability of charging points in selected areas of major cities.
BMW said MCV will also highlight its Connected Drive technology in which mobile phone-based functions point to battery status and charging points.
- And what if I need to drive more than 200km?
BMW says it is looking at a range-extender system, similar to the plug-in hybrids in the Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt. In simpler terms, a small conventional petrol/diesel engine acts as a back-up when electricity runs out.
- Hmm... so it's not totally CO2-free...
Well, maybe in the initial stages when the electricity grid isn't ideally spread out yet. But that's the path, as many other car manufacturers believe, the electrification of vehicles.
In fact, BMW has made it a point that MCV also marks a rethink on how cars would be made. There would be more component recycling than ever, and the production should be simpler, flexible and use less energy. So start thinking of factories roofed with solar panels...
- Will MCV be fun to drive like other Bee-ems?
BMW thinks so. With so much of torque naturally available from electric engines, drivers would be able to enjoy lots of grunt right from standstill. It is certainly poised to become a new dimension in driving, as Motoring learned with the Mini E.
And coupled with a rear-drive system (drifters rejoice), the MCV could still be one of those fun-to-drive Bimmers. Let's see whether it would have BMW's much-touted 50:50 weight balance by 2013.
Inside MCV
Body
To offset the 250-350kg rise in weight that is typical of cars with electric drivetrains, BMW is turning to a passenger cell made from carbon claimed to be 50% lighter than steel; aluminium, the Germans say, only helps bring is down by 30%.
BMW's outside partner in developing such a body is SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers.
Drivetrain
A 100kW (136hp) electric system drives the rear wheels in the BMW fashion.
A one-speed automatic transmission ensures the car can go to a maximum speed of 150kph.
BMW says when the throttle is lifted off, the car can slow down and, at the same time, regenerate energy.
Battery
Lithium-ion batteries will store energy better than old-fashioned nickel-metal hydride type.
Although batteries have limited life in automotive use, BMW says they can continue to be of use in other applications that don't require as much power.
Batteries come from SB LiMotive Power Cell.
source : bangkokpost.com
