As you would expect from such a limited-run product, the Unique Forever Edition will come with a special combination of colors and equipment and will be available in both standard i3 configurations and i3s. According to BMW, the naming of the new special edition refers to the unique character of the world’s first premium automobile designed from the outset for purely electric mobility.

The edition vehicles are characterized by particularly high-grade and exclusive design and equipment features. Two BMW Individual paint finishes will be available for the first time for the BMW i3: Aventurine Red metallic variant is combined with an accent in Frozen Grey metallic and the Storm Bay metallic paint finish with an accent in Frozen E-Copper. The interior surfaces of the BMW grille are also finished in the respective accent color.

Other special features include the omission of the trim strip and model lettering on the luggage compartment lid and a black insert for the rear bumper. In the interior of the edition vehicles, the contents of the Suite equipment world – including the Vernasca Dark Truffle leather combination, the leather instrument panel, the fine wood surface in dark matte oak, the leather steering wheel, the Carum grey roof lining and the ambient lighting – are supplemented by specific design elements.

The front headrests are embroidered with the words “Unique Forever”, the door trim panels in the area of the exterior mirrors bear the inscription “One of 2,000“. All the special edition models will be built, as usual, in Leipzig, using wind power alone. Of the 2,000 units scheduled for production, 350 are reserved for the German market alone. BMW didn’t publish any photos of the models at the time of writing but we’ll keep you posted once they do.

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That’s the main focus of the video posted below, in which BMW’s design boss, Domagoj Dukec explains how he and his team came up with the design of the i4 in the first place. The starting point was the BMW Vision 100 Next concept unveiled back in 2016, as BMW was celebrating its 100th anniversary. That concept was meant to be a sort of bridge between the past of the brand and the future and it truly brought forward some innovative ideas.

Then, in 2017, we saw the BMW EfficientDynamics concept, a more refined take on what the Vision 100 model, one that brought us one step closer to the production version. The EfficientDynamics model had a massive double-kidney element in the front fascia, along with sculpted light elements that mimicked the corona rings we’ve all grown to love. These two elements basically define a BMW in terms of styling.

Last, but not least, before we saw the production BMW i4 we also witnessed the launch of the BMW i4 Concept, a car that was meant to be a preview of the final product. It brought along taillights meant to remind us of a heartbeat (a hint at the emotions one should feel behind the wheel) as well as a new take on the rear diffuser and how it should be drawn. The production i4 was unveiled in full earlier this year and it is bound to arrive by 2022 in a showroom near you.

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What you should know, from the get go, is that some of these tips are nothing new. Most of them are known by those who have always been a bit careful about how much money they spend on gas every day. Now that range is a very important factor when you’re relying on your battery to get around these tips might be more important than ever. For example, it’s a known fact that removing any excess weight from your car will cut the energy or fuel consumption.

The same goes for keeping the windows closed and watching the tire pressure, to make sure it’s just right. In the case of electric cars like the iX3, the Tire Pressure Monitor even shows you what kind of values are perfect to be as efficient as possible. There are other tricks available on board modern-day BMW electric cars too though.

For example, the Eco Pro mode can be configured to be as energy efficient as you’d like. You can adjust it to cut the energy used by the seated heats, the HVAC system or even the lights. You can also make sure to use the BMW Adaptive regenerative braking function. This will allow the car to seamlessly switch between coasting and regenerative braking, depending on the driving situation. All of this and more tips await in the video below.

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For now, the EV plan has a major caveat: the rebates will apply only to American-made electric vehicles. So a European brand without a U.S. factory might not be able to take advantage of those rebates. But it appears that a foreign automaker building an electric car in the US would still qualify.

Probably the most important point in the new infrastructure plan is the funding for nationwide charging stations. By 2030, President Biden’s American Jobs Plan includes funding for 500,000 electric charging stations. The new plan would include grants and incentives for state and local governments, and private companies, to build the EV infrastructure.

Additionally, public transportation companies will also benefit from the new plan. The new legislation calls for  electric school buses, USPS and federal-owned EV trucks. Biden’s plan would also replace 50,000 diesel transit vehicles, all as part of a goal towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

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The i3 and i8 were trailblazers, no question about it. They were the first efforts from BMW in this direction and one of them is still around. The BMW i3 is turning eight this year and the Bavarian company said it won’t stop here. With the introduction of the i4 as the electric version of the 4 Series Gran Coupe, one can’t help but wonder how another big seller from BMW’s portfolio will be named. What name will the EV equivalent of the 3 Series be bearing?

According to a source inside Munich, BMW will use the i3 moniker on the electric 3 Series once the current electric model will go out of production. BMW plans to introduce an EV 3 Series in a few years, once the facelift of the G20 generation comes out. The first such models will arrive in China and they will be based on the long wheelbase version of the 3 Series, codenamed G28. These cars will be called BMW i3 and will have various performance levels.

If we’re to believe these rumors, the new electric cars will have names such as BMW i3 eDrive35L and BMW i3 eDrive40L which would hint at the power output of each and the fact that they are long wheelbase versions, the former being less powerful than the latter. We’re still pretty far off from seeing this whole thing happen but judging by the track record of this particular source, we might be seeing a new i3 on the roads in the near future.

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According to the BMW Group, MINI is already migrating towards an all-electric future, as pieces have already been set in motion. 2025 will mark the last year when a new MINI model will be launched using an internal combustion engine. By 2027, MINI is expecting to see fully electric vehicles account for more than 50 percent of its sales and, if the sales of the MINI Cooper SE model are anything to go by, that target will be easily achieved.

Furthermore, the first all-electric alternative part of this new plan will be the Countryman. MINI also confirmed today the next generation of the British crossover will be available with a fully electric model in the line-up. The Countryman will be built in Leipzig starting with 2023.

Additionally, BMW also announced that a wide range of the MINI electric models planned for future launch will be built in China, in collaboration with local manufacturer, Great Wall Motors, starting with 2023. This is yet a long-time coming bit of news as the two companies have been negotiating this move for several years. This way, Great Wall Motors will become the second Chinese car maker the BMW Group is in business with after Brilliance Automotive.

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BMW iX xDrive50

Let’s start with the more expensive of the two, the BMW iX xDrive50, as it’s going to be the flagship model. Powering the iX xDrive50 will be a pair of electric motors, one at each axle. These motors are part of BMW’s fifth-gen eDrive power units, which combine the electric motor, transmission and all requisite electronics into one module.

The fifth-gen eDrive units make 30-percent more power than any previous BMW electric motor, while operating at 93-percent efficiency. They also use current-excited electric motors, rather than permanent-magnet motors, which entirely eliminates the need for rare earth materials.

The two drive units will make around 370 kW (500 horsepower) and will be powered by a battery pack larger than 100 kWh. Oddly, BMW wasn’t specific as to the battery density, simply claiming it to be larger than 100 kWh. With that large battery, though, the BMW iX is said to have a range of 600 km (373 miles) on the WLTP-cycle.

For the U.S., BMW is claiming around 300 miles of range. The BMW iX xDrive50 is also said to have a 0-60 mph time of under five seconds, though BMW was again unspecific.

BMW iX xDrive40

As for the entry-level model, the BMW iX xDrive40, it will pack a smaller-density battery, with only 70 kWh. That smaller density will only allow for 400 km (249 miles) of range but that’s still better than the Audi e-tron SUV. The xDrive40 will also get dual electric motors, giving it all-wheel drive, but it will make fewer ponies, only 240 kW (300 horsepower). According to BMW, the xDrive40 will around six seconds to get from 0-60 mph.

In terms of charging, both BMW iX models will have 200 kW charging speed on compatible DC fast chargers. At the moment, that’s faster than anything except the fastest of Teslas. At that speed, the BMW iX can go from 10-80 percent battery in just 40 minutes. There’s also a quick ten-minute fast charge, that can quickly 120 km (75 miles) of charge to the BMW iX xDrive50 or 90 km (56 miles) to the xDrive40.

Some of the cooler features available on the BMW iX will be the massive panoramic sunroof, which will be the largest sunroof fitted to any BMW model and will also come with electrostatic shading. There will also be a Bowers & Wilkins 4D surround sound system, with thirty speakers, eight of which are in the car’s headrests. Being 4D, there are also magnetically controlled shakers in the front seats.

As for pricing, in Germany, the BMW iX xDrive40 will start at 77,300 EUR, though BMW didn’t announce pricing for the xDrive50 model in its home market just yet. In the U.S. market, though, pricing for the BMW iX xDrive50 will begin in the mid-$80,000 range.

However, BMW said nothing about the lesser xDrive40 model for the U.S. Regardless of market, expect BMW iX models’ pricing to coincide with those of the BMW X5. So the xDrive40 models will likely be similar to those of the BMW X5 xDrive40i and the BMW iX xDrive50 will likely be price closer to the X5 M50i, in all markets respectively.

The BMW iX is now positioned well to take on cars like the Audi e-tron and Tesla Model X. It’s priced similarly to those cars, in regards to specification, and packs competitive ranges, power, performance, and actually boasts class-leading charge speed in most regards.

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In this video, we get to see the next-gen 2023 BMW 7 Series up close and it certainly seems to feature a new headlight design. Of course, it’s covered by a ton of camouflage and even some fake body panels, so there’s no possibility of a definitive look at the car. Still, the headlight placement is lower than ever before and seems to put the front lamps in about the center of the kidney grille, which is a bit of an odd orientation.

We also can’t tell for sure if the fenders are fake but if they aren’t, there could be some sort of squared off design at the front end of the car, which seems to lead into some vertical aero vents. Again, all of these things could be completely fake, as BMW likes to add trick body panels to test mules, designed to throw eagle-eyed fans off its scent.

Another interesting feature is the 7er’s new door handles. They’re completely flush, unlike the current handles, and seem to be entirely electronic. Rather than actually pulling on a physical handle, it seems that you place your hand inside the little door cavity and press a button, as there doesn’t seem to be any hinged piece there. Though, we’ll have to wait until the car is revealed to truly find out.

You can also see the BMW i7 in this video, as there are 7 Series test mules with the “Electric Test Vehicle” stickers on them, along with a lack of exhaust pipes. The latter makes us lean more toward fully-electric i7, rather than plug-in hybrid 7 Series. It’s also completely silent in the video, so we’re sticking with BMW i7.

This new 7 Series, along with its accompanying electric sibling, is going to be a fascinating car. It will mark the beginning of many new changes for BMW and we’re hoping that those changes are for the better. Only time will tell.

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­The aerodynamic solution for the MINI Cooper SE 3-door consists of the easy-to-fit black front splitter, which noticeably improves the downforce values of the MINI. AC Schnitzer says that this splitter can be fitted without any further painting. It is made of the polymer ASA and is characterized by its particularly high strength, rigidity and weather resistance. Of course, should any customer desire, the splitter can be painted in any color.

The program is light on aero bits, so for now, the splitter is the only part available. The only two other visual things you can order now are the AC Schnitzer decal set and AC Schnitzer rear skirt protection foil. But the MINI Cooper SE project hasn’t stopped there.

Due to the higher vehicle weight of the MINI Cooper SE, the suspension spring kit has been completely redeveloped. The lowering of the vehicle’s centre of gravity by approx. 25 – 35 mm at the front and approx. 20 – 30 mm at the rear, results in a noticeable increase in driving dynamics and cornering handling. No AC Schnitzer project would be complete without their custom wheels. Therefore, this MINI Cooper SE is fitted with the AC Schnitzer AC1 wheels in size 7.5 x 19″ wrapped in 215/35 R 19 non-run-flat-tires.­ ­ ­
For the interior of the MINI Cooper SE, the AC Schnitzer aluminum pedals and the aluminum cover “Black Line” for the controller of the iDrive system are available. ­

[Photos: AC Schnitzer]

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The Chevy Bolt EUV crossover is joining the hatchback for MY2022

For the 2022 model year, the Chevy Bolt boasts a redesigned, more upright front fascia as well as revised LED front and rear lighting signatures. The daytime running lights positioned up high at the front lend the zero-emissions hatchback a more modern look and separate it from the pre-facelift variant. These subtle changes have worked wonders for the Bolt, but the more significant revisions are actually inside.

From the instrument panel and controls to the seats and gear shift lever, a lot of upgrades have been implemented inside. For example, the 2022 Chevy Bolt has a revamped 10.2-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system with built-in climate controls. It’s accompanied by an 8-inch driver’s display that can be reconfigured to show a variety of details depending on preferences.

The overhauled electronic gear shift boasts pull toggles and push buttons, allowing Chevy to free up more space inside. The 2022 Bolt has also received a one-pedal driving button to enhance regenerative braking by keeping the system active between drive cycles.

You’ll also notice a flat-bottomed steering wheel with the company’s logo blacked-out and the aforementioned Regen on Demand paddle. Those seats mentioned earlier have a triangular geometric pattern and come with contrasting color stitching.

Equipped with a 65-kWh, lithium-ion battery pack, the 2022 Chevy Bolt EV can cover up to 259 miles (416 kilometers) on a full charge, according to GM’s estimations. Thanks to standard DC fast-charging capabilities, owners gain 100 miles (160 kilometers) of range in as little as half an hour. The battery comes with an active thermal management system and is backed by an 8-year / 100,000-km limited warranty.

The 2022 Chevy Bolt EV is powered by a single electric motor producing 200 horsepower (155 kilowatts) and a near-instant torque of 360 Newton-meters (266 pound-feet).

Perhaps the best part about the 2022 Bolt is its significantly lower asking price as it has gone down by more than $5,000 compared to the model it replaces. It now starts at $31,995 before any applicable incentives. For your money’s worth, Chevy installs a high-definition rearview camera and a lot of safety kit: front pedestrian braking, automotive emergency braking, lane keep assist, forward collision alert, lane departure warning, and others.

At an additional cost, the 2022 Chevy Bolt EV can be had with adaptive cruise control, HD Surround Vision, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also available, along with wireless smartphone charging and Wi-Fi hotspot through a 4G LTE connection.

Chevy will have the updated Bolt EV on sale in the United States this summer.

Source: Chevrolet

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