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Before The I3, There Was The E1
by
Derek Kreindler
(IC: employee)
Published: March 19th, 2015
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Tomorrow, we’ll have a review of the BMW i3, BMW’s first mass market electric car.
Developed in just 10 months, the E1 used an aluminum spaceframe with plastic body panels – remarkably similar to the i3s use of advanced materials and construction given that the E1 was developed in 1991.
BMW claimed that the rear-drive E1 was good for 150 miles from its relatively puny (but today’s standards) 32 kW electric motor and 19 kWh sodium-sulphur battery – which weighed 400 lbs.
The lone E1 ended up catching fire while charging, taking part of a building with it. But like the Geo Storm that ended up previewing the Chevrolet Volt, the E1 ended up leading the way for the Mini E, BMW ActiveE and the latest i3 and i8.
Derek Kreindler
More by Derek Kreindler
Published March 19th, 2015 9:27 AM
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There must have been more than one of these, as the red one in the top photo is a different car than the red one(s) in the other pics.
Why must every EV be some ugly contraption completely unlike the cars they want to replace? Why must they make these things ridiculously small? Why aren't they building a FAMILY SIZED 4-door sedan? How about a Dodge CHARGER (no pun intended) PHEV? That would be easily better than the model S.