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BMW i3 to be priced around $40,000

According to Automotive News, the BMW i3 electric hatchback will likely be priced around $40,000, or similar to that of a well-equipped 3 Series sedan, when it goes on sale later this year. This information was revealed during an interview where AN spoke to Ludwig Willisch, CEO of BMW North America. The i3 will likely qualify for a $7,500 tax credit from the US federal government, though AN reports that a BMW spokesperson could not confirm this just yet.
In addition to the all-electric i3, BMW will offer a range-extended version that uses a 0.65-liter two-cylinder motorcycle engine and auxiliary generator to charge the car's battery on the go. Automotive News says pricing for this model is still unclear, as is whether or not the range-extended i3 will be eligible for the $7,500 tax credit. Of course, buyers needing a vehicle for longer trips will be able to borrow one from the automaker.
Automotive News also reports that the majority of BMW's 338 dealers in the United States will be able to sell the i3, as well as the upcoming i8 hybrid sports car. Dealerships have until June of this year to opt out of this program, however.

Apple Car's latest EV secret? Magna could be its new Foxconn

There have been rumors and noises and noisey rumors about a potential EV from Apple. We certainly don't know what's true and what's not, but a new whisper says that the California computer company might be secretly working on an upcoming electric car in Berlin. According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), which cited "sources with knowledge," there are about 15-20 "progressive thinkers" working on the car in Berlin. FAZ comes up with a few more details for this potential EV, including that the first-gen might not be autonomous. The small car might be available by like 2019 or 2020 and that it might be available through car sharing as well as purchase. The most concrete new detail that FAZ offers up is that Apple will build the car in Germany with automotive supplier Magna. That sure does mesh well with a statement from Magna CEO Don Walker from last year, when he said: We are, in my opinion, the best contract manufacturer in the world. [With] our ability to do small-volume niche vehicle production and help with the engineering and the launch and the procurement ... we'd be a logical person for anybody if they have small volume or [are] a new entrant coming out. Plus, it's not like Apple CEO Tim Cook understands auto manufacturing and already uses outside help like Foxconn to build its computer products. Lyle Dennis, who now runs Apple Car Fans, told AutoblogGreen that he thinks this rumor about the Germany connection is true. "I suspect this is real," he said. "There have been discussions between Apple and BMW. It wouldn't surprise me if they did build the Apple car there." Well, maybe those discussions happened and maybe they didn't.Related Video: News Source: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung via Apple Car Fans Green Rumormill BMW Electric Magna project titan

BMW i8 with 500+ horsepower in the cards?

While BMW makes plenty of machinery to keep enthusiasts interested, its most enticing models are often based on more ordinary ones. That's what made the arrival of the i8 so captivating, emerging as the first stand-alone BMW sports coupe since the M1. But if its dual purpose - trying its best to both embrace the earth and traverse it rapidly - somehow left you disappointed, the next development could prove to fix that.
According to Automobile, BMW is working on a more potent i8S model. The hardcore version of the hybrid sports car would offer more power and a stiffened chassis to make it that much more aggressive. The Bavarian automaker is reportedly still evaluating two potential powertrain options: The first would pair a 2.0-liter twin-turbo four-cylinder good for 320 horsepower to an electric motor with another 204 hp. The second would use a 3.0-liter straight six with 480 hp and an electric motor with 109 hp. Both would be mated to a nine-speed dual-clutch transmission and an integrated starter motor packing an extra 27 hp.
Either way, we'd be looking at a combined output well in excess of 500 horsepower - far more than the existing i8's 228-hp turbo three and 129-hp electric motor - dropping the 0-62 time down from 4.1 seconds to an estimated 3.5. Couple that to a more advanced carbon chassis, wider tires and other goodies, and the i8 would be transformed into a far more capable performance machine than it already is.