SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
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: 2) by bitstream on Wednesday May 18 2016, @06:41AM
You would need to keep it running for something like 6 years with the same battery to make it pay. Of course it really depend on the alternative cost for a gasoline car. But with your numbers it seems the electric won the economic game which will make a huge difference. Now it also need the electric range to.
(Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Wednesday May 18 2016, @07:29PM
More than 6 actually, a new battery is $5500 -- if I make six years I'll be about $2000 in the hole comparing battery to gas. Hopefully at some point there will be aftermarket batteries for cars that cost less and hold more. Anyway, before I spent a bunch on an electric car, I wanted to get some experience with a cheap one. And like I said, driving it is so much nicer than I ever imagined.
(Score: 2) by bitstream on Friday May 20 2016, @12:23AM
Do these electric cars feature a gear lever?
(Score: 1) by wirelessduck on Friday May 20 2016, @03:25AM
Electric cars have no gearbox?
(Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Friday May 20 2016, @03:28AM
Yes. There is "Go", "Park", "Reverse". ;-)
I've never owned an automatic always preferring a stick shift, but the fact that there isn't a complicated transmission means one less thing to maintain or go kaput.
(Score: 2) by bitstream on Friday May 20 2016, @04:42AM
The real aspect of this is that there's a limited driving license which only allows the use of cars with an automatic gearbox. Thus all electric cars would then be allowed for such license.
(Score: 2) by rondon on Sunday May 22 2016, @06:42PM
I've been pricing out refurb batteries for Priuses (Prii?) at about $1,000 and brand new for less than $4,000, so I think your $5,500 number can come down substantially.
Unless you need to get it from the dealer for some reason?