Rumormill: BMW Megacity to get optional range-extender

BMW Megacity EV – Click above for high-res image gallery

As more details about BMW’s upcoming Megacity EV trickle out, we learn that the electric city car will be offered with an optional small internal combustion engine designed to replenish the depleted batteries while the vehicle is driven. The news, delivered by BMW Financial Officer Frederick Eichinerto to German website Focus.de, is interesting as the Megacity was first reported to be solely a pure EV vehicle.

With a lightweight carbon fiber chassis, BMW’s Megacity has enough space up front to accommodate the optional engine without worry. Therefore, customers will have the choice of leaving the space empty (to increase luggage capacity) or have the combustion engine fitted (to increase range).

The Megacity will use lithium-ion batteries with a reported 35 kWh of capacity. It is expected to have a driving range in pure-EV mode of about 100 miles. The range-extender engine should add to that significantly – good news to customers still fraught with range anxiety.

[Source: BMWBLOG]

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