BMW E1 is the name of two electric / hybrid city car concepts by German automobile manufacturer BMW , revealed at the 1991 then 1993 International Motor Show Germany .

First generation (Z11; 1991) [ edit ]

The first-generation BMW E1 prototype, the Z11, was revealed in 1991, and was all-electric. Only one example of this car was built.

Overview [ edit ]

The Z11-gen BMW E1 concept was revealed at the 1991 International Motor Show Germany in Frankfurt , Germany . It was a fully-functional 3-door, 4-seat electric city car . The E1 initially began development in 1990 with Technik, a division of BMW started in 1985, created to develop new technologies for cars. It was designed to test if a production electric car would work, partly due to the U.S. state of California 's demand that 2% of new cars sold in the state be zero emission . This is the same reason for the creation of the General Motors EV1 . ^[2]

Specifications [ edit ]

The Z11 E1 concept was powered by a 19 kWh sodium sulphate battery, which in turn powered a direct-drive motor on the rear axle, giving the car a total output of 45 bhp and 111 lb ft. of torque . The E1 had a range of 155 mi (249 km) and two-hour rapid charging . The structure of the car was made from aluminum while the body was made from recycled plastic and was finished in a bright red paint. The car used custom-built alloy wheels , which were 14 in (360 mm) in the front and 16 in (410 mm) in the back. ^[2]

Replacement [ edit ]

The only Z11-gen E1 concept was destroyed in a fire that occurred while it was charging, and was replaced by a new concept for 1993. ^{[3] [4]}

Second generation (Z15; 1993) [ edit ]

BMW E1 (Z15)
1993 BMW E1 at the BMW Museum (front)
Overview
Manufacturer	BMW
Also called	BMW E2 [5]
Production	1993 (2 built; one EV and one hybrid)
Designer	Mark Clarke (1993) [5]
Body and chassis
Class	City car ( A )
Body style	3-door hatchback
Powertrain
Engine	4-cylinder engine
Transmission	5-speed manual (hybrid variant)
Battery	19.2 kWh Sodium nickel chloride battery
Chronology
Predecessor	BMW E1 (Z11)
Successor	BMW i3 (spiritual)

The second-generation BMW E1 prototype, the Z15, was revealed in 1993 at International Motor Show Germany on September 9, 1993. Two examples of the car were built; an all-electric version and a hybrid version. The Z15, like the previous Z11, was also a 3-door city car that seats four passengers.

Specifications [ edit ]

The electric version is powered by a 19.2 kWh sodium nickel chloride battery and has a top speed of 80 mph (130 km/h). It is finished in a green metallic paint and features a green interior. ^[6]

The hybrid version also uses the 4-cylinder internal combustion engine used in the BMW K1100 motorcycle and a 5-speed manual transmission , and has an output of 82 hp. This variant is painted red. ^{[7] [6]}

Both examples of the Z15-gen E1 feature a similar lightweight body to that of the Z11, which is made of aluminum and plastic. ^[6]

Legacy [ edit ]

Although the E1 was never produced, BMW introduced the ICE-powered 1993 3 Series Compact , featuring similar styling to the Z11, two years after the Z11 E1 concept's revealing. Furthermore, BMW did eventually introduce an electric city car, the i3 , in 2013, 20 years after the Z15 concept. The Z15 concept remains at the BMW Museum in Munich . ^{[ citation needed ]}

References [ edit ]