BMW Concept ActiveE

Underneath the liquid white paint scheme and bright blue pinstriping, this 1 Series is powered by a new high-tech all-electric engine.  In place of a regular petrol or diesel engine is a synchronous electric motor that pumps pump out 126kW/250Nm.

Called the Concept ActiveE, BMW will unveil the car next week at the North American International Motor Show in Detroit.  Unlike other concepts though, the ActiveE is far from a flight of fancy.

The German carmaker plans to allow a select group of private and fleet buyers to drive the car and evaluate it before committing to production.  The design brief was to provide a zero emissions green machine without sacrificing the driving experience BMW drivers expect.

BMW engineers positioned the heavy electric motor to provide a similar weight distribution and agile handling as the 1 Series.  The motor is integrated in the rear axle and the electronics are above the motor.

Despite being a porky 1800kg, the ActiveE will reach 60km/h in 4.5 seconds, 100km/h in nine seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 145km/h.  Like the Mini E, it has a range of about 160km on a single charge.

The high-tech theme carries over to the stylish cabin.  Smartphone technology allows the driver to perform some functions remotely.  Drivers will be able to use their mobile phones to check the car's battery status, search for public charging stations or turn on the heating or air conditioning remotely.

Inside the cabin gets a lift with bright white and blue accentuated leather trim and back-lit three-dimensional dials.  The dashboard and console also display information about the electric drive system.

The motor draws its energy from a new, advanced lithium-ion battery pack jointly developed by BMW and SB LiMotive.  BMW has also solved to problem of cooling the battery pack by developing a new temperature regulation system.  Importantly too the ActiveE has enough room for four and a 200 litre boot.

The battery pack can be recharged in as little as three hours by a normal power outlet at public charging stations or via a special wall-mounted box.  The car's drive components were developed as part of project i, BMW's newest research division set up in 2008 to explore high-tech transport solutions.  Company officials say the technology is likely to appear in mass produced cars from about 2015.