I agree, TJ, a hundred miles isn't much. I suspect that a lot of potential drivers will want the range extender. BMW says the range extender will dounble the range.
It's a shame we never see the concept look on the road. The typical USA consumer wants a more mundane look, or so car companies have admitted (via research). The 100 mile range is pretty standard for EVs. Since it is a BMW the price will reflect the brand. Too bad you can't just pay the "brand tax" for a larger battery.
Cap'n, this is great stuff. By rethinking the design of a car, they have been able to save lots of weight. Isn't that what I have been going on and on about lately. Actually, the concept of having a break away frame with a passenger module is from Formula 1 racing. If you see one of those cars crash, they braek up all over the place and then the driver walks away from the wreck. It is an idea that is long overdue in the passenger car market. Let's hope this becomes a trend.
The hybrid is also very interesting in that the two types of motor drive separate axles. With modern Engine Management Systems (EMS) for the ICE and a controller for the electric engine, it should be very reasonable to use both types without the need for the complex gearing system found in parallel hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius. It seems that you can then have a front wheel drive electric car, a rear wheel drive conventional car and an all wheel drive car. Sounds great. And it is all controlled by a computer.
By experimenting with the photovoltaic reaction in solar cells, researchers at MIT have made a breakthrough in energy efficiency that significantly pushes the boundaries of current commercial cells on the market.
In a world that's going green, industrial operations have a problem: Their processes involve materials that are potentially toxic, flammable, corrosive, or reactive. If improperly managed, this can precipitate dangerous health and environmental consequences.
With LEDs dropping in price virtually every year, automakers have begun employing them, not only on luxury vehicles, but on entry-level models, as well.
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A quick look into the merger of two powerhouse 3D printing OEMs and the new leader in rapid prototyping solutions, Stratasys. The industrial revolution is now led by 3D printing and engineers are given the opportunity to fully maximize their design capabilities, reduce their time-to-market and functionally test prototypes cheaper, faster and easier. Bruce Bradshaw, Director of Marketing in North America, will explore the large product offering and variety of materials that will help CAD designers articulate their product design with actual, physical prototypes. This broadcast will dive deep into technical information including application specific stories from real world customers and their experiences with 3D printing. 3D Printing is
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