Μεγάλη ημέρα για την BMW σήμερα αφού σε μια ειδική εκδήλωση που έκανε στο Μουσείο της στο Μόναχο ανακοίνωσε το brand “i”. Τα πρώτα μοντέλα του νέου brand θα είναι έτοιμα το 2013 και πρόκειται για τα i3 (MegaCity όπως το γνωρίζαμε μέχρι σήμερα) και i8 (το Vision EfficientDynamics). Πολλές λεπτομέρειες δεν έδωσε για τα δύο νέα αυτοκίνητα της πέρα του ότι αυτά θα κατασκευάζονται στο εργοστάσιο της Λειψίας και θα διαθέτουν την νέα αρχιτεκτονική της εταιρίας “LifeDrive architecture” η οποία θα διαθέτει αλουμινένιο σασί με τον χώρο των επιβατών να είναι κατασκευασμένο από CFRP (carbon fiber-reinforced plastic)
Τα νέα μοντέλα θα διατηρήσουν το λογότυπο της BMW με ένα μπλε δακτύλιο να τους περιβάλει. Επίσης τα αυτοκίνητα θα διαθέτουν μπλε γρίλια, αεροδυναμικά πλαϊνά spoiler, “stream flow” πίσω κολώνες και μεγάλους -αλλά στενούς- τροχούς.
Κάτω από την ομπρέλα του BMW i εκτός από υβριδικά και πλήρως ηλεκτρικά αυτοκίνητα θα βρίσκονται και μερικές “ανεξάρτητες υπηρεσίες”. Έτσι η BMW, ως μέρος της διαδικασίας αυτής, έχει ήδη δημιουργήσει ένα νέο επενδυτικό όμιλο με έδρα την Αμερική που τον ονόμασε BMW i Ventures. Στόχος του ομίλου αυτού είναι να επικεντρωθεί κυρίως στην ανάπτυξη εφαρμογών για smartphone, όπως είναι η εφαρμογή MyCity η οποία παρέχει στους χρήστες πληροφορίες σχετικά με τα μέσα μαζικής μεταφοράς, διαθέσιμα πάρκινγκ και καταστήματα ψυχαγωγίας.
Περισσότερες πληροφορίες θα ανακοινωθούν στη Γενεύη. Ως τότε δες τα πρώτα 4 video και τις 29 φωτογραφίες που ακολουθούν
[Πηγή: BMW]
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New BMW sub-brand: BMW i
- BMW i stands for sustainable vehicles and mobility solutions
- Two models available from launch: BMW i3 and BMW i8 Mobility services complement core business
- BMW i Ventures holding company founded
Munich. The new BMW sub-brand focused on developing sustainable mobility solutions has been launched. “BMW i represents a new movement in premium mobility. With the introduction of this new sub-brand, the BMW Group reaffirms its leadership as the most innovative and sustainable premium car company. The products and services have been conceived around a revolutionary approach: purpose designed and purpose built for sustainable, premium mobility. It’s a new day in our industry; a new era for individual mobility. This is BMW i – Born Electric.” said Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Sales and Marketing, in Munich on Monday.
In a first move, two models will be launched under the new sub-brand from 2013 – the BMW i3 and BMW i8. The BMW Group will also significantly expand its range of mobility services over the years ahead. To achieve this, a Venture Capital company was founded in New York City, BMW i Ventures, with an investment totalling 100 million US dollars.
“BMW i offers visionary cars and services, inspiring design, and an entirely new concept of premium mobility – all with a focus on sustainability”, explained Robertson.
The BMW i brand comprises vehicles and services developed since 2007 as part of project i, a BMW Group think tank exploring sustainable mobility solutions.
It is the BMW Group’s response to changing customer needs, including increasing demand for alternative drive trains, such as electric drive systems and hybrids. There is a widespread desire in megacities for solutions which intelligently combine the benefits of various mobility concepts in a single package.
Revolutionary vehicle concepts
“With BMW i, we are building on the success and strength of our core brand,” emphasised Robertson. The BMW i3- previously known as the Megacity Vehicle – will be the BMW Group’s first series-produced car for urban areas to be driven by electric power alone. The BMW i8, meanwhile, is based on the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept study. Its plug-in hybrid drive blends the sporting ability of a high-performance machine with the fuel consumption and emissions of a small car.
Both models are based on a revolutionary construction concept known as LifeDrive architecture. An aluminium chassis houses the powertrain, and the passenger cell consists of high-strength but extremely lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP). “Both cars have been designed specifically for their respective alternative drive systems.
We used the innovative architecture and CFRP to cancel out practically all of the extra weight added by the batteries. For our customers this means superior driving dynamics combined with significantly increased range using electric power,” explains Klaus Draeger, BMW Board member responsible for development.
BMW i8 to be built in Leipzig
Like the BMW i3, the BMW i8 will also be manufactured at BMW’s Leipzig plant. Around 400 million euros will be invested in new plant facilities and some 800 jobs will be created up to 2013. Development and production synergies will be achieved through both vehicles using the same component sets for the electric motors, power electronics, and high-voltage lithium-ion batteries.
A range of vehicle-independent services
An additional range of mobility services – which can also be used independently of the cars – will be an integral component of BMW i. This will allow the creation of a new, profitable area of business over the long term and attract new customers to the company’s brands. “Mobility requirements are changing in rapidly expanding megacities” adds Ian Robertson. “Our commitment to car-enabled mobility services, like BMW ConnectedDrive, will be significantly expanded under BMW i. We’ll also grow our car-related premium mobility services. What’s truly groundbreaking is that we’ll begin offering car-independent premium mobility services.
BMW i aims to provide customized mobility solutions across a seamless network of premium products and premium services.” The focus is on solutions which will improve usage of existing parking spaces, as well as intelligent navigation systems with local information, intermodal route planning, and premium car-sharing.
In addition to services developed in-house, the BMW Group is pursuing collaborations with partner companies and exploring strategic capital investments in providers of mobility services. To this end, the venture capital company BMW i Ventures has the goal to expand the range of products and services offered by BMW i in the long term by taking stakes in highly innovative service providers.
New York-based My City Way is the first company in which BMW i Ventures has taken a stake. Of the partnership, Ian Robertson said, “I am thrilled to announce that we have just signed our first strategic partnership with My City Way. As a mobile app, My City Way provides users with information on public transportation, parking availability, and local entertainment for over 40 cities in the US. Another 40 cities will be part of the global rollout, including Munich, of course.”
BMW i – BORN ELECTRIC
Munich. Saturday evening saw the launch of teaser communications for the new BMW sub-brand. Light installations and video projections illuminated BMW Group buildings around the Petuelring road in the north of Munich. The four-cylinder building, BMW Welt and BMW Museum were bathed in the colours of BMW i.
The new BMW sub-brand itself was launched at today’s press conference in the BMW Welt. The print campaign for BMW i will initially feature two motifs.
As of Tuesday, a giant poster at the Munich Opera house and on other squares around the city of Munich will present the world of BMW i to the public.
The new brand’s affiliation with its parent brand, BMW, is clearly recognisable, thanks to the design cues taken from BMW’s Corporate Identity. However, in terms of motifs and colours, BMW i is venturing into new territory. Naturally vibrant, highly aesthetic images with a futuristic atmosphere will characterise communications. Initially, the focus will be on lifestyle images. These will gradually be complemented with more and more content relating to the products.
The new website, www.BMW-i.com, demonstrates the visionary and sustainable approach of the new brand. With films about the world of BMW i , design sketches and details of the revolutionary engineering principles behind the BMW i3 and BMW i8, the site offers a clear view toward future mobility.
Another part of BMW i can be found with mobility services. In addition its own service range, the BMW Group is working to offer services through corporate partnerships and strategic investments. To support its efforts in this area, it has founded a venture capital company called BMW i Ventures. This will help the new sub-brand expand its product portfolio over the longer term through investments in highly innovative service providers. The first company in which BMW i Ventures holds a stake is My City Way, whose mobile information portal is available as a smartphone app.
The BMW i website will also pick up on public debates around the latest developments in urbanisation, sustainability and mobility. Its activities will feature on social media websites, including the Facebook fan site www.facebook.com/bmw.i, the Twitter channel www.twitter.com/BMWi (available end of this week) and the YouTube channel www.youtube.com/bmwi.
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