BMW 2

BMW 2-Series Active Tourer confirmed for U.S. launch early next year.



Public debut likely to occur in Geneva this March

BMW North America president and CEO Ludwig Willisch told Edmunds a production version of the Concept Active Tourer will be introduced in the United States at the beginning of next year.
The car he was referring to can be seen in these spy photos we posted back in December. It will be a very interesting BMW since it will adopt a front-wheel drive layout and will probably be one of the most family-oriented models ever, especially since it will likely be offered with an optional seven-seat layout. Ludwig Willisch says the Active Tourer production version will target those customers who are "looking for versatility that matches his or her lifestyle."
The name of this all-new model has not been disclosed but most likely it will wear the 2-Series Active Tourer moniker and will probably be shown for the first time in March at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show before going on sale in Europe later this year. It will be a competitor for the Mercedes-Benz B-Class and will ride on the UKL platform also used by the new MINI so it will have just about the same engines.
Edmunds mentions all-wheel drive will still be available while (at least) the US-spec model will be offered with a hybrid powertrain consisting of a 3-cylinder 1.5-liter gasoline engine working together with an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack.
Source: edmunds.com

BMW changes

BMW works on hands-free lane changes.

LAS VEGAS -- In a bid to commercialize hands-free cars, BMW AG and supplier Continental AG are preparing a large-scale road test involving dozens of vehicles.

The goal is a production vehicle that can change lanes without the driver's intervention. Such vehicles are likely to enter dealer showrooms in three to five years.

The test, which will be conducted early next year, will occur over a 500-kilometer (311-mile) route from Germany over the Alps to Italy, says Werner Huber, BMW's project manager of driver, assistance and environmental perception.

"We will build a prototype car which can be cloned into 10, 20, 50, maybe 100 cars," Huber said. "That is what we are working on."

BMW's plan for a fleet test signals a new step forward in development of hands-free vehicles. And if past trends hold true, lane-changing technology will trickle down from luxury cars to the mass market.

BMW's test fleet of cars will accelerate, brake and change lanes without the driver's help for lengthy stretches at speeds ranging up to 130 kilometers per hour (81 mph).

Production vehicles would employ this technology at lower speeds, such as in stop-and-start highway traffic. Most likely, BMW would offer this technology as an improved version of its existing driver assistance package.

Luxury brands typically offer a "driver assistance" option that includes intelligent cruise control with automatic braking, lane-keeping and 360-degree road surveillance.

BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi offer driver assistance options ranging from $1,900 to $3,200.

Vehicles equipped with a driver assistance package can accelerate, brake and stay within a highway lane at low speeds without the driver's intervention. But those vehicles are not designed to change lanes.

BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and others are racing to add that function, which is viewed as the next logical step for hands-free driving.

Hands-free lane-changing could allow vehicles to avoid accidents and pass vehicles in stop-and-go highway traffic.

But there are two major barriers.

The first hurdle is technological: Sensors must monitor the entire 360-degree field around the vehicle. To do so, automakers are tinkering with various combinations of radar, lidar, cameras and ultrasonic sensors. Lidar uses lasers to measure distances.

The second hurdle is legal: In the European Union, the Vienna convention requires the motorist to be in charge of the vehicle at all times. The United States has similar regulations.

This isn't a big problem for hands-free driving as long as the car remains in one lane. But it gets tricky when the car changes lanes, says Alejandro Vukotich, Audi AG's chief of driver assistance systems.

"The driver must always be in charge of what is happening," Vukotich noted.

Vukotich believes lane-change technology will win approval because it's a useful safety feature. If cockpit sensors determine that the motorist is drowsy or incapacitated, the vehicle could steer itself to a safe stop by the side of the road.

"We intend to bring [this technology] to market in the next five years, and we are doing everything we can to prepare," Vukotich said. "We are very, very focused on that."

Christian Senger, Continental AG's senior vice president of automotive technology says the focus now is to develop technology that consumers actually use.

"It isn't new to have autonomous vehicles on the road," Senger said. "The question is how to put these vehicles on real roads for real consumers."

BMW- Electric Car 2014

Electric cars in 2014: Should I wait or should I buy?

Since we’re at an embryonic stage of electric technology as a mass market transport solution, every year will hold surprises. This year, however, looks to be the most intriguing and difficult to predict yet.

Volkswagen, Mercedes and BMW will join the electric car race in 2014, which tells us quite a bit. These brands are not in the habit of dropping dud models into the market, and, while there is an element of toe-dipping in each company’s offering, each car is the result of a multi-billion euro investment and, in some cases, the creation of an entirely new brand. These companies recognize that electricity has a big part to play in future personal mobility, or electro-mobility, and will start to wield their considerable financial and R&D strength.

Recently established players like the Nissan-Renault, Tesla and GM will need to keep innovating (and adopting aggressive pricing strategies) to keep up.

We’ve already covered the new electric cars arriving in 2014, but what else does this year hold for those who want smooth, quiet, zero emissions transport on their driveway?

Will electric cars go further in 2014?

This year is unlikely to see notable improvements in electric vehicle range, with most models continuing to hover around 85 miles range. Even significant new cars such as the Volkswagen e-Golf, due late this year, will likely manage only 90 miles range in the real world, although Mercedes insists the B-Class Electric Drive is capable of more than 110 miles.

At the top of the market Tesla will continue to offer the Model S as well as introducing the Model X SUV. Both will be capable of more than 250 miles on a single charge, comfortably more than the opposition, but at a price north of $70,000.

As battery technology remains uncomfortably expensive, then, range anxiety will continue to hamper electric vehicle sales in 2014, although some makers will overcome the problem by using range extenders. BMW, for example, will offer the electric i3 with a small two-cylinder gasoline engine that generates electricity to recharge the battery on the move. This doubles range, but means your i3 is no longer purely electric while the damage is more than $45,000. The Chevrolet Volt and luxury Cadillac ELR use similar technology to boost range while powering the cars’ wheels solely by electricity.

Will electric cars cost less in 2014?

Depending on your taste, yes. Last year saw significant price cuts on the Ford Focus Electric and Nissan LEAF, as well as discounted lease offers for the Chevrolet Spark EV and the smart electric drive. While electric vehicle sales are rising at an increasing rate, the trend is still slow enough that makers will often use drastic offers to stimulate demand. Only last month Mitsubishi took $6,000 off the price of a new i-MiEV. Electric car buyers will still receive a $7,500 federal tax credit and any state incentives, too, so if you’re in the right place certain models can be had for relatively little.

On the other hand, BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen will be entering the market with premium electric cars that will command a suitably steep price tag. The BMW i3 and Mercedes B-Class Electric Drive will both start at more than $40,000, while the Volkswagen eGolf won’t be far behind. None of these cars go significantly further than cheaper rivals, and buyers will be paying for a premium German brand rather than any improved hardware.

This year may be a good time to pick up a deal, but 2016 remains the most anticipated year in the young history of modern electric cars, when both GM and Tesla could release cars with 200 miles range for around $30,000.

Will electric car charging get any faster in 2014?

We won’t see any ground-breaking technology become mainstream, no, but access to charging stations will continue to improve dramatically. The number of public charging stations in the US grew by 30 percent in 2013, totaling around 6,800 (map here), and the next step will be to get more workplace access for electric car owners.

Access to fast charging stations will improve too, and Nissan is currently in the process of installing more than 500 DC fast chargers in the US (there were around 150 chargers at this time last year), which are capable of charging the LEAF with 60 miles range in under half an hour. To put that into perspective, the AC Level 2 chargers many electric car owners install in their homes charge at between 10 and 20 miles each hour. Other organizations, such as CHAdeMO, will also expand their DC charger infrastructure in North America.

Inductive, or wireless, charging will also become more of a reality, whether it’s in the form of man hole-covers doubling up as charge points for parked electric cars or entire wireless infrastructure likes the one used by certain buses in South Korea.

Will electric cars be less boring in 2014?

Yes. Here’s one reason to start with, and here’s another. Moreover, with the rise of Tesla and the likely success of BMW i, car companies are realizing that their electric cars have to exciting. As a result we’ve recently seen Nissan reveal the Le Mans-inspired Blade Glider, since confirmed for production, and shouldn’t forget just how innovative the carbon fiber BMW i3 is, either.

Should I buy an electric car in 2014?

With no significant development in battery range and little real change in prices, unless you’ve been promoted the answer is unlikely to differ from last year. There will, however, be an unprecedented choice of electric cars in 2014, so start asking yourself whether you have a driveway or garage to charge in and whether you’re daily commute is less than 60 miles. If the answer to both is yes, all we can say is that very few EV owners regret their decision.