BMW has long been a leader when it comes to producing high-quality, technologically advanced cars, so it is no wonder that BMW owners have been waiting (sometimes rather impatiently) for a BMW electric car. BMW has researched electric cars for decades, but, like other companies, never made any real strides in the area because of all the politics around the gasoline/electric debate.
For a long time, American emission and MPG guidelines were stalled. Companies were allowed to continue to produce cars with low-MPR vehicles while other countries made amazing gains in that area. Recently, though, new efforts have been made to reduce the carbon footprints of American vehicles (meaning vehicles driven in America, not necessary produced there). Now the Environmental Protection Agency is placing new, stringent regulations in place that force companies to double their fuel economy within a set period of time. As a result, companies are finally producing environmentally friendly cars that do not pollute the air with their emissions.
Very recently, in 2011, BMW made a definite public commitment to finally produce and release an all-electric car, the ActiveE. This is considered a gamble by some because the company is well known for its powerful gasoline-powered engines. They think BMW owners particularly like the gas-powered engines and will not be interested in switching to electricity. Knowing the skeptics, BMW promises to produce a "BMW quality" electric car that is sure to please owners who are used to great performance. The ActiveE will enter the market in the fall of 2011 and afford the driver approximately 100 miles of gasoline-free riding on just one charge. This is exciting news for the many BMW owners who have grown tired of paying the expensive premium gas prices.
The ActiveE will accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in about 9 seconds. This is not the type of speed sports car enthusiasts are used to, but it is comparable to the average family sedan. Because of the amazing MPC (miles per charge) rating, buyers should not be too disturbed by the reduced acceleration.
All-electric cars are still very new to the market, so they are very expensive, so much so that the average car buyer will not be able to benefit from the gasoline-free ride. However, as industry leaders like BMW continue to create electric cars, lower-end companies will eventually follow suit, offering up more scaled-down, budget-friendly versions of the electric vehicles.
