Autoblog Green article on the upcoming BMW i3

Here's an informative read on the upcoming i3. I especially liked this quote, "Our goal, right from the start, was to come to market with a car which will be emotional and fun to drive and deliver on our core competence which is driving pleasure."

Celebrating one year with the BMW ActiveE

Wow, how quickly a year flies by.  On January 16^th, 2012 we picked up the ActiveE and 23,000 miles later, we couldn’t be happier.  I still smile when I catch someone snapping a photo of the car in the rearview mirror.  Although I’m the only driver, my wife and daughter love riding in the Ultimate Electric Driving Machine.  It’s been our only vehicle for 11 of the past 12 months and has met all of our needs.  Let me explain that a bit because some may say that’s not possible.  As folks who’ve read my posts in the past know, we had the MINI E (aka Electric MINI Cooper) for 2 ½ years prior to transitioning to the ActiveE.  It didn’t take long to realize the MINI E could be our one and only vehicle provided it had a back seat, however since it didn’t; we kept our Ford SUV for those times we went places as a family.  Once the ActiveE  arrived, the For Sale sign went up and the Ford was out the door.  There was nothing wrong with the Ford but I realized that driving a 7 passenger vehicle to work and back every day was pretty silly. 

It all started with the MINI E.    

The MINI E got me thinking about driving in a way I’d never thought about before.  I’d always thought that we need a large vehicle, heck we may need to move something, pick up a piece of plywood, transport 7 people, etc.  but in reality, like a lot of folks driving large vehicles, those times are rare.  Granted, there are large families and others who couldn’t live without a larger vehicle and I totally understand that but for us we realized we could approach this differently.  What if we were to drive a smaller electric vehicle and simply rent a larger vehicle for those times we needed more space or traveling out of town.  It not only made financial sense for us, it opened up more garage space and helps from an environmental standpoint as well.  With places like DriveNow and ZipCar some folks take this way of thinking even one step further and choose to rent a vehicle only when they need one and utilize public transportation, bicycles, walking etc. as their main way of travel.  As folks migrate to larger cities and choose to live closer to work, this way of thinking becomes easier and easier.

I love driving and before the MINI E and now the ActiveE, sitting in Southern California traffic slowly drained the love right out of me.  Granted, I still don’t like traffic but I can honestly say that now, every time I get into the ActiveE, the sense of excitement I felt when I drove off the dealer lot is still there.  The driving experience is simplified but now the love has returned.  From the rush of acceleration all the way to the max with no pause for shifting gears, to the single pedal driving provided by strong regenerative braking, the ActiveE has helped me maintain my sanity and love of driving.  It allows for a smooth, quiet and exciting driving experience.   I really didn’t realize how all the jerking around you typically experience in stop and go traffic with a traditional gas powered car wears you down.  I would get home worn out.  Now when I leave work, the driving experience relaxes me and I arrive home refreshed.  I know this may sound like a bunch of mumbo jumbo but it’s true.  

There are some things in life that no matter how wonderful they may sound, until you experience it yourself, skepticism remains.  The electric car could indeed be one of those things.  From range anxiety to the thought that one must have one vehicle for every possible need, manufactures indeed have their work cut out of them.  What can be done to change this? 

Here are some ideas in no particular order.   I have no doubt that some of these ideas are on the table or currently being considered by BMW and others:

• Get folks behind the wheel by hosting no pressure driving events staffed by the most knowledgeable folks at the company.  GM, Ford and others have hosted these over the year’s at large stadiums, airfields, etc.

• Offer an EV loaner to customers who are having their gas powered vehicles serviced.  Take the time to discuss the vehicles benefits and limitations to ensure the vehicle will work for that particular person’s needs while their vehicle is being serviced.  

• For those folks leasing/purchasing an electric vehicle, have other vehicles available for those times the customer needs one.  This doesn’t need to be free but hopefully can be done at a reasonable cost. 

• Have people at the dealership who know the vehicle better than the customer.   You may laugh but nowadays a lot of folks arriving at a dealership know WAY more than the salespeople.  Heck, take it one step further and have the salespeople drive the EV they’re selling on a regular basis.  

• Sell the experience and alternative way of approaching driving and getting places, not just the vehicle itself.  Most importantly, after discussing the vehicle and the customer’s needs, steer them away from the vehicle if it’s determined the vehicle isn’t the right fit.  Upset customers driving something that doesn’t go as far as they thought, can’t hold as much stuff as they needed, etc. can kill the best advertising campaigns in a few keystrokes. 

• Initially as we are early in the EV rollout, offer attractive leases with no mileage restriction.  The cars are rolling billboards.  We should encourage people to drive their cars as much as possible, not restrict them with traditional car leases.  Folks seeing the cars out and about beats seeing them in a commercial or on a website.  This could be used as a sales incentive too.  First 1000 vehicles leased have no mileage restriction, for example.

• Work with cities and employers to provide incentives for electric vehicles.  Los Angeles International Airport recently decided to stop offering free parking for electric vehicles on their inner lots starting March 1.  While you’ll still be able to charge for free, parking will now be the posted rate of $30.00 a day.  I sent an email urging them to reconsider not because I believe driving an EV makes me special and I deserve free parking but because it’s incentives like these along with carpool lane access, reduced tolls on toll roads, etc. that help folks on the edge of getting an EV to go for it.  Once they have one, folks quickly realize how wonderful driving electric is and incentives will matter less and less but now, early on in the rollout, it’s crucial to have these incentives.  Employers can help too by offering employees areas to plug in.  Most times, 110 outlets will suffice.  The cost is minimal and the company can advertise being green and supporting EV acceptance at the same time.  Win, win!

• Find a way to get the younger folks excited and behind the wheel of electric vehicles as they’ll be leading the charge into the future.

In closing, it’s been wonderful to play a small part in the rollout of BMW’s upcoming electric vehicles. Knowing that the comments and suggestions that myself and fellow MINI E and ActiveE drivers have made over the past 3 ½ years helped shape BMWi  and the upcoming BMW i3 is quite exciting.  Another year is upon us and another year of emission free driving awaits!  May we all charge forward into the New Year!  

BMW i3 is just a year or so away

Two new BMW i3 videos:

Video 1

Video 2

P.S. Rolled past 21,000 miles today in the ActiveE. :)

Had a great time viewing the i3 Coupe in Los Angeles

As my mileage climbs towards 20,000 in the ActiveE, the joy of driving an electric BMW hasn't waned a bit...actually it continues to grow. As I've mentioned before, it's easy to become so use to the torque, instant acceleration and quiet, non jerky ride, you forget not everyone is having such a fun and exciting driving experience. During my recent scheduled service visit, I was given a 2012 128i. Almost 600 miles and a week later, I can say it's a very nice car BUT it's no ActiveE and I'm pretty sure if you gave someone each car for a week and asked which one they like better, most would choose the ActiveE.

With that said, it was wonderful to see the new i3 Coupe Concept at the Los Angeles Auto Show this past Thursday. While it was a concept and the 4 door version will be available first late next year, it was exciting to see that BMW has yet another EV in the works. Some folks have asked why doesn't BMW just use carbon fiber to lighten up it's existing lineup of vehicles and kick out some conversions. While I believe BMW will increase the use of carbon fiber in it's entire line, I'm in the opposite camp regarding design. I love driving something different with it's own unique design....especially if it's not only cool looking but has a purpose such as flat floors, increased interior space, batteries under the floor, etc that a design from the ground up provides. You can't do that with a conversion. I have zero interest in driving a conversion. Here in Southern California, even with all the stickers on the ActiveE, I still tend to blend in. Folks who do ask about the car do so because of the stickers and or my license plate, KNOW GAS. I'm then able to express my enthusiasm about driving electric and hopefully get the person thinking about an electric vehicle. I consider myself an ambassador, spreading the joys of driving electric and love talking about the ActiveE every chance I get. On the other hand, I totally understand that some folks prefer a more subtle approach. Fortunately, there are conversions galore with the Focus, Leaf, RAV 4 EV and upcoming Fiat 500 Electric, etc.

BMW is taking a different, bold approach that hopefully will inspire Audi, Mercedes and others to kick their design studios into gear and get cars on the road too. As Oliver Walter, Head of Product Management BMW i3, mentioned at the recent Electronaut (ActiveE drivers) briefing, BMW can't do this alone, it's going to be a group effort. In speaking with Oliver directly, I was excited to hear him describe the i3 as The Ultimate Electric Driving Machine. He continued with...."the i3 is still a BMW and folks expect a BMW driving experience with 50/50 weight distribution, top notch handling, etc." Kudos to Oliver! I wish everyone at BMWi much success!

ActiveE is back!

We're once again rolling in the ActiveE. The drivetrain malfunction mentioned in previous post was likely caused by the relearning process after the reprogram which was done at the recent service.

I put 200 miles on the 2012 328i convertible loaner. While a nice car, I just don't like driving traditional gas powered cars anymore. The brief lag when you punch it off the line and the brief lag as it climbs through the gears is non-existent in the ActiveE. You really get spoiled driving the ActiveE with the torque and constant pull to 90mph. The quick, smooth driving experience is wonderful. It becomes so normal that you really need to switch to a gas powered car now and then to remind you just how awesome the electric driving experience is compared to traditional gas powered cars. Once you drive electric you won't want to go back. Saving money on fuel is great too but the driving experience is what really seals the deal.

The mysterious drivetrain error returned

Was greeted today with something I haven't seen in forever...the mysterious drivetrain malfunction symbol which prevents the vehicle from starting. Being a veteran of mysterious symbols since the MINI E days I took it in stride and attempted to start again after a few unlocks and locks of the doors and waiting a few minutes. Only after letting the car sit for about 5 minutes did the symbol clear and I was ready to go. I called the head ActiveE tech, Randy, at Long Beach BMW and asked if I should bring in so he could pull the codes and got the affirmative. Was given a 328i convertible loaner, no complaints there. I'm sure we'll be back on the road in no time.

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

As the holiday is upon us, we rolled past the 15,000 mile mark today. Counting the miles from our MINI E, I've now driven 65,000 pure electric miles over the past 3 years. What a great feeling!

When I think back to when we first got the MINI E and those initial worries about range, will this work for our family, etc, I chuckle. Instead the excitement and fun factor are the things that come to mind. It's the pure burst of power off the line, the instant passing power and acceleration you feel when entering the freeway and the quietness after a busy day at work.

Sure, driving electric has all sorts of environmental benefits and cost savings. Do I like only spending $3.00 to drive 100 miles on average, absolutely, but don't forget the fun factor when spreading the word among your gasser friends. I sometimes get caught up in all the numbers instead of reminding folks, the ActiveE is a blast to drive and by the way, you'll save money on your fuel and maintenance costs.

Here's to many more fun filled gas free miles!

Happy Labor Day Weekend!