First Bmw Electric
1972 BMW 1602 Electric But let's start from the beginning, decades before the manufacturer ever considered making the i3, its first commercially successful EV. BMW began researching electric. The 1602 Elektro-Antrieb, the first electric car in BMW's history, had a 12.6 kWh battery, could travel 60 km and was the subject of an official restomod.
In 1991, BMW unveiled a functional electric vehicle concept with a 155-mile range. Despite its potential, it never made it to production. From MINI E to ActiveE Phase two came in 2012 with the BMW ActiveE, a battery-electric 1 Series coupe with liquid-cooled batteries and more refinement.
Range was still only about 100 miles, but the car previewed the powertrain and thermal management that would underpin BMW's first true production EV, the i3. Lessons That Still Matter. BMW 1602 Electric (12/2012) BMW wasn't building cars during the first electric age, having been founded as an aero engine manufacturer in 1916 and only adding motorcycles and cars in 1923 and 1928, respectively.
Early Innovations in Electric Cars BMW has always been a trailblazer in the electric car industry since the early 1970s. Their first electric vehicle was the BMW 1602 Electric, which was powered by a 32kW motor and could travel up to 37 miles on a single charge. Although this car did not have a long range, it sparked BMW's passion for creating innovative electric cars.
In 2013, BMW's i. The BMW E1 (1972) One of BMW's earliest ventures into electric mobility was the BMW E1, a prototype electric car developed in 1972. This groundbreaking vehicle featured a compact design, a powerful electric motor, and a lead-acid battery pack.
While the E1 never reached mass production, it demonstrated BMW's early commitment to exploring alternative powertrains. The BMW Mega City Vehicle. The sportiest electric sedan out there and the first all-electric 5 Series vehicle - the BMW i5 - is slowly being revealed! Expected to debut for the 2025 model year and with a starting price of about $62,000, the i5 is a representation and combination of all that is award.
BMW engineers started investing in the development of electric cars in 1969. Several years of research and testing allowed them to introduce the first prototype in 1972 during the Olympic Games, which were being held in BMW's hometown of Munich. BMW began testing electric cars in the 1970s.
It built a pair of battery-powered 1602 coupes for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany.