BMW moves from carbon footprint to carbon fiber

BMW is introducing an all-electric BMW i3, which is manufactured using carbon-fiber reinforced plastic as its foundation. The car accelerates from zero to 60 mph in about seven seconds, delivers 170 hp at 184 lb-ft of torque, operates for up to 100 miles on a full charge, and can be fully recharged in three hours. The car's “…uniquely intelligent battery heating/cooling system ensures that the range of the BMW i3 is less affected by temperature fluctuations than other electric vehicles (EVs),” according to BMW. Base price is $41,350. A range-extender option adds a two-cylinder combustion engine, which drives a generator that tops off the battery. That option extends the base price to $45,200.

Bloomberg reports that the i3 “…represents the biggest shift in automobile production since the 1980s when the first all-aluminum car frames were made.” The carbon fiber strategy began taking shape six years ago when the company concluded that environmental concerns leading to tougher regulations could make ICE-powered autobahn cruisers like the 5-Series unsustainable.

Bloomberg quotes CFO Friedrich Eichiner as saying, “Looking forward to 2020, we saw threats to our business model. We had to find a way to bring models like the 6-Series, 7-Series, and X5 into the future.” The i3, targeting city drivers, will offset the carbon emissions of the larger autobahn cruisers.

“BMW's approach recalls the days of the industrial revolution, when manufacturers started with raw iron ore or located factories near power sources,” said Aravind Chander, an analyst with Frost & Sullivan in Chennai, as quoted in Bloomberg. “It’s an aggressive approach and still unproven.”

The carbon-fiber approach involved forming a joint venture with SGL Carbon SE. Visit Bloomberg for the details.