BMW – Page 1774 – I wish I had more to offer

Enel now with 130 Fast Recharge charging stations installed along long-distance roads in Italy and Austria

ROME, 22-Jan-2019 — /EuropaWire/ — Enel has installed 130 Fast Recharge charging stations, equal to 260 recharging points, which are now operating along the long-distance roads of Italy and Austria as part of the EVA+ project (Electric Vehicles Arteries).

Operational in Italy and Austria, the 50kW Fast Recharge charging stations, which are compatible with all electric vehicles on the market, allow users to fully charge their vehicles in about 20 minutes. The charging infrastructure in Italy has been developed entirely by Enel and the system is compatible with all electric vehicles currently on the market and is in full compliance with international standards in the field of electric mobility.

The charging infrastructure is mainly located in areas adjacent to motorway entrances so it can also be used by people who use electric vehicles for long-distance journeys with stops compatible with charging times, in places such as shopping centres. Customers can use the Enel X Recharge app to locate the EVA+ stations in Italy and recharge their cars in a few simple steps.

EVA+ is the European project for the development of electric mobility that envisages the installation of 200 fast charging stations (180 in Italy and 20 in Austria) along extra-urban routes over three years. The programme, which is co-financed by the European Commission as part of the “Connecting Europe Facility”, involves Enel, as coordinator, and Verbund (the main Austrian utility), together with some of the leading manufacturers of electric vehicles in the world, such as Renault, Nissan, BMW Group and Volkswagen Group Italia (represented by the Volkswagen and Audi brands).

About one year after the start of the project, 110 stations (with 220 charging points) are in operation in Italy and 20 stations (with 40 charging points) in Austria.

About one year after the start of the project, 110 stations are in operation in Italy and 20 stations in Austria

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SOURCE: Enel

New Karma Revero plug-in hybrid saloon tests in Europe

The current Revero uses solar panels located on its roof that can power the car’s electrified powertrain. Solar panels have been seen on earlier development cars, so expect improvements to their efficiency with the 2019 model if they do continue into production. “The energy collected from the solar panels is supplied directly to the car’s high-voltage battery, which in turn… Continue reading New Karma Revero plug-in hybrid saloon tests in Europe

Schwäbisch-Bavarian development aid

They are bitter rivals in the luxury segment – nevertheless, Daimler and BMW want to make robotic cars together according to a report. What is behind the planned cooperation? Electric cars from Mercedes and BMW Monday, 21.01.2019 17:27 clock Until recently, such partnerships were almost unimaginable: a BMW engineer needed no help, least of all… Continue reading Schwäbisch-Bavarian development aid

Exclusive: Worst-case no-deal Brexit puts Bentley’s return to profit at ‘fundamental risk’

CREWE, England (Reuters) – Loss-making carmaker Bentley is on track to be profitable this year but a worst-case no-deal Brexit puts that at “fundamental risk”, its boss told Reuters, adding that the chance of Britain leaving the EU on March 29 with a deal now seemed “fairly low.” The Bentley name is seen inside a… Continue reading Exclusive: Worst-case no-deal Brexit puts Bentley’s return to profit at ‘fundamental risk’

Above the clouds: The new BMW 7 Series – ready for a luxury experience at the highest level.

Munich. With the new BMW 7 Series, driving pleasure and ride experience reach an unprecedented new level in the luxury segment. After the world premiere of the luxury sedan in Shanghai, now the market launch campaign for the new BMW 7 Series follows with a powerfully emotional film at its centre. The campaign film, designed… Continue reading Above the clouds: The new BMW 7 Series – ready for a luxury experience at the highest level.

Toyota brings back the Supra sports car after almost two decades

Toyota reveals the first new Supra in the US in 21 years
9:48 AM ET Mon, 14 Jan 2019 | 01:22

With the new Supra sports car, Toyota is bringing back a car that is probably one of the Japanese automaker's most beloved names.

But don't expect it to be a huge seller, say analysts.

That is not because the car is a dud. It is expected to be a higher-end product and has been reported to have engines sourced from German manufacturer BMW.

But production is expected to be lower volume, and the car is likely to cater to enthusiasts and serve as a halo vehicle to create buzz for the rest of Toyota's lineup.

Source: Toyota
2020 Toyota Supra

The Supra is a resurrection of a car Toyota has not made since 2002. It began as a variant of Toyota's now also defunct Celica in 1978, but was spun off as its own model in 1986. It became known as one of the most famous Japanese tuner cars of the '80s and '90s.

Apart from the reputation it earned on its own, the Supra also was famous for being featured in “The Fast and the Furious” movie franchise, in which it was driven by the late actor Paul Walker.

The car will go on sale this summer. It will have a 3.0-liter turbo six-cylinder 335-horsepower engine and an automatic transmission with paddle shifters. Toyota says the car should be able to go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.1 seconds. It will have an electronically limited speed of 155 mph.

Buyers will have their choice of two trim levels, the base 3.0 model and a 3.0 Premium.

Toyota's President Akio Toyoda tested the car himself on the famed Nurburgring track in Germany, as well as elsewhere around the world.

The car will likely not come cheap, and it is not meant to be a high-volume car, said LMC Automotive President of Global Forecasting Jeff Schuster.

“It's absolutely for enthusiasts,” he said. “The name is one of those names that has some history to it. Obviously, not as much as a Mustang or a Challenger, but in its space of more of the super-tuner type of vehicle it carries a lot of weight. There is no question it will get a lot of buzz around it. But for all intents and purposes it is meant to be a small volume vehicle, at least from our expectation.”

Disclosure: “The Fast and the Furious” movies were produced by Universal Studios, which like CNBC is owned by Comcast.

CORRECTION: This article was updated to correct the car's history. It was last produced 17 years ago.

BMW plans to tone down styling of its electric cars

BMW i Vision Dynamics concept, 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show
To stand out, or not to stand out. That is the question many electric automakers are asking as electric cars transition from being something new and different to being just another drive system for all types of cars.

Among the most recognizable electric-car designs are those that stand out from the crowd: The original Nissan Leaf, the Toyota Prius Prime, the BMW i3.

CHECK OUT: 2019 BMW i3 to get bigger battery with 153-mile range

Now electric cars are going more mainstream, according to an October interview with BMW styling director Adrian van Hooydonk in the British publication Autocar, so there's no reason to make them look so different.

“BMW customers want a dynamic car, whether it is a battery-electric vehicle or not,” van Hooydonk told Autocar. “So there’s is increasingly less reason to make these kinds of cars look different.”

READ THIS: BMW Vision iNext electric concept redefines German luxury flagship

It has been a long-running debate among designers of hybrid and electric vehicles. People buy cars to make a statement, just as they might buy a jacket or shoes. Early hybrid and electric car buyers wanted their support for the environment, or at least their reduced petroleum consumption.

Driving an ordinary-looking car didn't accomplish that. Onlookers had no reason to strike up a conversation to ask why they were driving it.

BMW Vision iNext concept

BMW's change of heart is another sign that electric cars are moving beyond early adopters to more mainstream buyers—known as the “early majority,” among marketers. The early majority accepts that early adopters have proven a technology, and wants to establish that it is now mainstream.

Building good-looking, but mainstream, cars with electric powertrains accomplishes that goal.

DON'T MISS: All-electric BMW i4 to be production version of i Vision Dynamics concept

BMW executives have announced that instead of building completely separate designs for electric cars—such as the i3 and i8 with their carbon-fiber chassis and aluminum floor pans—the brand will work to develop electric versions of all of its primary cars, such as the upcoming 2020 iX3 SUV, which is an electric version of the X3, and the 2019 Mini Cooper S E, an electric version of the standard Mini hatchback.

Other upcoming BMW electric-car concepts show a mixed approach. The luxurious and nominally self-driving Vision iNext luxury SUV, which could inspire a production model in about 2022, is all harsh angles, with odd wings and big pillarless glass. It will definitely stand out on the road.

BMW's Vision Dynamics concept is a sleek four-door sedan that previews the company's next electric car (after the iX3 and the Mini Cooper S E), an electric version of the elegant-looking but relatively mainstream 4-series. It will also stand out on the road—but for its elegance, not just its brash, indifferent, difference.

More about Byton, tamer BMW electrics, Toyota batteries, more chargers: Today’s Car News

Byton M-Byte concept
BMW says it plans to make its electric cars look more mainstream to move beyond sales to early adopters. Toyota and Panasonic could be teaming up to produce electric-car batteries and solid-state technology. And Maryland approves plans for 5,000 electric-car chargers to attract more electric cars to the East Coast. All this and more on Green Car Reports.

The three electric cars that Byton is developing are designed more to appeal more to passengers than drivers, the brand's chief engineer told Green Car Reports. Other than their 48-inch cross-dash screen and advanced interface, they'll take advantage of off-the-shelf EV parts from top suppliers.

BMW says its upcoming electric cars won't stand out as much, with more conventionally attractive styling to appeal to more mainstream buyers.

Toyota might be teamed up with Tesla-supplier Panasonic to develop and build new batteries for electric cars, as the world's largest automaker begins its transition to electric cars.

In an effort to attract more electric cars, Maryland has approved a plan for the state's utilities to install 5,000 new electric-car chargers, including Level 2 chargers and Level 3 DC fast chargers along highways.

Google Maps has announced that the software will now display speed-limit information in Android Auto to help drivers keep track between signs as they use the system's navigation function.

Finally, after setting a world's record climbing Pike's Peak, Volkswagen plans to take its electric ID R race car to the famous German Nürburgring race track to challenge the lap record there.

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BMW & Mercedes-Benz go together?

The two luxury car manufacturers, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, want to merge for autonomous driving. The development of the Autonomous driving has already started several cooperations. So have yourself cooperation blocks formed across the industries. Not only suppliers and manufacturers, but also IT companies belong to the partners of these cooperations. Mercedes-Benz Vision URBANETIC people mover… Continue reading BMW & Mercedes-Benz go together?

European power firms aim to harness electric car batteries

FRANKFURT/LONDON/PARIS (Reuters) – Ever wanted to run your electric car for free? If you’re open to a bit of give and take, then stay plugged in and your wishes might come true. At least that’s what some European power companies and Japanese carmakers believe. FILE PHOTO: A charging port is shown on the front of… Continue reading European power firms aim to harness electric car batteries