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Another data point in the conversion of our transportation fleet from Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles to Electric Vehicles (EVs):
Electric vehicles are making up an ever-increasing percentage of BMW's sales, both here in the US and worldwide, according to a statement released by the company on Friday. In April in the US, the BMW i3, i8, and X5 xDrive 40e accounted for just under 15 percent of all BMW passenger vehicle sales—a combined 2,572 cars out of a total of 17,786 cars sold last month.
More than half of BMW's EVs have been sold here in the US, which, along with Scandinavia and the UK, is the company's best market for hybrids and EVs. BMW's electrification strategy is a two-fold affair. There's the i sub-brand, which currently features the i3 city car and i8 sports car (two of our favorites here at Ars), and it's believed that a third i model is in the works, a crossover called the i6.
The company is also building hybrid versions of some of its regular vehicles, including the 330e, X5 xDrive40e, and now a 740e as well.
In recent news BMW also announced a joint fast-charger network with Nissan.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 18 2016, @02:49AM
Battery swaps wouldn't work like that.
You wouldn't buy one and then swap it out on your next recharge.
You'd sign up for a service contract that either sold you prepaid battery swaps (like prepaid cell phone minutes) or a monthly subscription that guaranteed you at least X number of swaps. But you wouldn't ever feel like it was "your" battery any more than you feel like a rental car is "your" car.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Wednesday May 18 2016, @06:52PM
Renault addressed that problem already: Buy the car frame, but lease the battery.
Need a new one? Swap it, it's not yours.
Long trip? Swap for charged ones as you go, it's not yours.
Worried it might be old? who cares, just swap it again.