Autoblog

BMW recalling 1 Series ActiveE over bad drivetrain housing

Jeffrey N. Ross — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 15:32:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, BMW, Electric

There are always growing pains when automakers introduce new technologies. BMW is learning this with the electric powetrain used on the 2011 BMW ActiveE. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about half of the all-electric 1 Series coupes currently in the hands of the public are being recalled for a potential problem that could leave the cars stranded.

With 700 ActiveE models running around the US, 360 of these cars have insufficient sealing between the electric motor and transmission, which could lead to premature wear to the connection between the two, which in turn could result in a loss of propulsion. BMW started notifying affected owners by phone earlier this month.

While no automaker wants a recall on its hands, it's much better for BMW to learn such a lesson now on the low-production, lease-only ActiveE ahead of the car's successor, the BMW i3, which is expected to be a much higher-volume EV. Scroll down for the official recall notification.

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BMW recalling 1 Series ActiveE over bad drivetrain housing originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Jan 2013 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW ActiveE enrollment process now open in test markets

Chris Shunk — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:15:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, BMW, Electric

It isn't every day that BMW offers an electric vehicle, but the ActiveE is just that. The German luxury car maker is now accepting applications for 700 ActiveE "Electronauts" in the test markets of Boston, Hartford, New York, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego and San Francisco.

The hand-raisers will need to complete a charging station consultation with BMW Partner AeroVironment to make sure the house of the perspective lessee can handle a charger. The meeting will also serve as a teaching session to make sure the user understands the charging and maintenance of an electric vehicle.

Once the perspective lessee meets those criteria, they will be given the opportunity to lease the
4,000-pound, electrified 1 Series Coupe for 24 months at $499 per month, plus $2,250 down. Hit the jump to look over the BMW press release, and head over to BMWActivateTheFuture.com if you're interested in learning more about the ActiveE.

Continue reading BMW ActiveE enrollment process now open in test markets

BMW ActiveE enrollment process now open in test markets originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 BMW ActiveE

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Technology, BMW, First Drives, Electric

BMW Gets Electrified, But Am I?

For over a year, I've been looking for a way to get into an electric vehicle, but my options have been decidedly limited. I'm either lacking the funds (Tesla Roadster) or the alternatives have lacked character (Mitsubishi i, Focus Electric).

But now there's this: The 2011 BMW ActiveE. It's the next step for BMW in electrification - a bridge between the Mini E and the forthcoming i3 - that takes a standard 1 Series Coupe and adds a brace of batteries and electric motor to create a rear-wheel-drive sports coupe with a 100-mile range. Even better, the price is right.

Unlike the Mini E that required owners to plunk down a hefty chunk of change each month, the ActiveE's outlay is far more palatable: $2,250 down and $499 a month for a 24-month lease - well below what you'd drop on a new (or even used) gas-powered 1 Series.

Now I'm the first to admit to being an early-adopting sucker, but could it be worth my hard-earned Blogger Bucks to become a beta tester for BMW's electrification efforts? I flew 5,800 miles to Munich to find out.

Continue reading 2011 BMW ActiveE

2011 BMW ActiveE originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW ActiveE leasing priced at $499 a month, $2,250 down payment

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:28:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, BMW, Electric

BMW Active E - Click above for high-res image gallery

BMW has released official pricing for its latest foray into the world of electric vehicles, and compared to the rest of your EV options, the Active E is a screaming deal.

Lease pricing for the 1 Series-based Active E is set at $499 a month for 24 months, with a downpayment of $2,250 due at signing. BMW isn't citing exact output figures yet (we're hearing something around 190 hp), but it's quoting a 0-60 time of under nine seconds and a range of 100 miles with its specially developed, liquid-cooled lithium ion battery pack. Reservations will begin this summer and you can get in on the action at BMWActivateTheFuture.com. Full details in the press blast after the jump.

Gallery: BMW ActiveE: Geneva 2011

Continue reading BMW ActiveE leasing priced at $499 a month, $2,250 down payment

BMW ActiveE leasing priced at $499 a month, $2,250 down payment originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2011: BMW ActiveE looking to become the Ultimate Electric Driving Machine

Jeff Glucker — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 18:20:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Geneva Motor Show, BMW, Electric

BMW ActiveE - Click above for high-res image gallery

BMW showed us the ActiveE Concept back at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. Now the automaker is using the Geneva Motor Show floor to roll out the latest version of its electrified 1-Series. The BMW ActiveE, following in the footsteps of the Mini E before it, will begin rolling out to select markets in the Fall of 2011.

Mini utilized a fleet of 600 electric Coopers for field tests, but BMW is upping the ante by producing 1,000 vehicles. The ActiveE will make its North American debut at the New York Auto Show in April. After that, it will roll its way into the driveways and garages of residents in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, New York, Boston and parts of Connecticut.

Powering the BMW ActiveE are a plethora of liquid-cooled SB LiMotive batteries. They provide enough juice to generate 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The ActiveE uses that energy to run from 0-60 miles per hour in about nine seconds and the juiced-up 1-Series has a range of 100 miles. Check it out in the galleries below and read more about the car in BMW's official release after the jump.

Gallery: BMW ActiveE: Geneva 2011

Gallery: BMW ActiveE

Continue reading Geneva 2011: BMW ActiveE looking to become the Ultimate Electric Driving Machine

Geneva 2011: BMW ActiveE looking to become the Ultimate Electric Driving Machine originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW announces one millionth 1 Series built

Zach Bowman — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:19:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Hatchback, BMW, Electric, Diesel, Luxury

2010 BMW 135i - Click above for high-res image gallery

According to BMW, the 1-Series is selling like tequila at spring break. The small-scale Bimmer may not have exactly received a warm embrace from big-boned Americans, but sales of the 1 have been good enough around the globe for the company to build over a million examples. The 1-Series has only been on the market since 2004, and is still in its first generation.

Part of the car's success is likely due to the wide variety of body styles and engine choices available outside of the States. European buyers can snap up efficient four-cylinder engines, both in gasoline and turbo-diesel guise, as well as functional hatchback versions of the 1. Meanwhile, we get our baby BMW in just two flavors - coupe and convertible - with only two engine options.

Odds are that the car will only get more popular as time goes on. BMW has made it clear that the all-electric ActiveE is headed to lease fleets sometime soon, and that car's 170 horsepower electric motor is bound to be a welcome addition to the lineup.

Gallery: 2010 BMW 135i

[Source: BMW]

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BMW announces one millionth 1 Series built originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit 2010: BMW ActiveE concept is all charged up and ready to go

Jonny Lieberman — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:28:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Europe, BMW, Electric

BMW ActiveE concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

At first glance, the BMW ActiveE concept is little more than a 1 Series with a questionable paint job. Seriously, the ActiveE looks like it's been sniffing blue paint. However, should you choose to look more closely, you will notice it's missing tailpipes. Also, someone ripped off the fuel-filler door. There's a blue light on the back of the antenna, too. Why? Good question.

The ActiveE concept is all electric. Similar to the Mini E electric car, the ActiveE is powered by a rear-mounted electric motor that stumps up 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, which may even be decent enough to lug the notoriously overweight 1 Series around town. BMW claims 0-60 in less than nine seconds. The juice is stored in a chained-together group of laptop batteries - quite similar to how the Tesla Roadster is set up.

Like the Mini E, BMW is planning on putting the production ActiveE into the hands of consumers who want one. Fleets, too. No word whatsoever on pricing, but expect a lease. For lots more information, read the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Detroit 2010: BMW Active-E concept

Gallery: BMW Concept ActiveE

Live Photos by Chris Paukert / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: BMW]

Continue reading Detroit 2010: BMW ActiveE concept is all charged up and ready to go

Detroit 2010: BMW ActiveE concept is all charged up and ready to go originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW trademarks "Countryman" for Mini crossover name?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Hybrid, Green, Crossover, BMW, Mini

MINI Crossover Concept - Click above for a high-res image gallery

Thanks to a few eagle-eyed BMW fans with a handy penchant for tracking trademark filings, we may know the name of the upcoming and oft-spied Mini crossover: the Countryman. If this is indeed the case, the badge would go hand-in-hand with BMW's current naming convention for its Mini line, which includes the extended-length Clubman in addition to the standard Cooper and convertible. We're expecting the new CUV to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in production form as a 2011 model.

Interestingly, BMW also trademarked the name ActiveE, which some are speculating will be the moniker applied to the automaker's upcoming electric vehicles as it matches up quite nicely with BMW's present ActiveHybrid series. Last year, the German automaker reserved the name eDrive, and it seems the two labels could somehow be paired together as part of the company's Project I initiative.

Gallery: MINI Crossover Concept

[Source: German Car Zone via BMW Blog]

BMW trademarks "Countryman" for Mini crossover name? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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