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2017 BMW i3 rumored to get more electric range

BMW will reportedly give the 2017 i3 a jolt of extra range that will increase the EV's max driving distance to around 120 miles. If true, that would be quite a boost from the current EPA-estimated 81 miles. An upgraded lithium-ion battery will make this improvement possible, according to Automotive News. Ian Robertson, BMW's boss for sales and marketing, told AN the upgrade to the i3 "puts it into a much more usable range." The company has more tweaks in store for the 2017 model but doesn't want to discuss details about them yet. Rumors late last year hinted that the extra range for the i3 would come thanks to a higher-density battery, improved electronics, and new software. The changes could push range to over 124 miles on the European testing cycle. BMW would also offer the improvements on the i3 REx range-extended model, and the company would even allegedly allow current owners to purchase the upgrades. The German automaker wants to offer these updates every three years to keep the EV fresh. If BMW can achieve 120 miles of range, then the electric i3's driving distance would come significantly closer to the current REx's EPA-estimated 150 miles. Of course, the range-extended model can always be topped up with a tank of gas to keep its wheels spinning further. The i3's rumored boost would also still put it short of the roughly 200 miles that Chevrolet promises from the Bolt when that model arrives late this year. In any case, it's an exciting time for proponents of electric cars. Related Video:

NHTSA urges owners of recalled Takata airbag vehicles to take immediate action

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Department of Transportation are taking the unusual step of issuing a followup press release urging owners of certain recalled vehicles "to act immediately" to fix their cars and trucks. The problem in question concerns the repair campaigns for rupturing Takata airbag inflators issued in June and covers a long list of models from Toyota, Lexus, Honda, Acura, Mazda, BMW, Nissan, Infiniti, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Oldsmobile and Pontiac.
While NHSTA doesn't specifically say why the recall is vital in the new release, Toyota's own explanation in its newly announced renotification campaign earlier today sheds some new light on the topic. According to the Japanese automaker, in testing, Takata found a possible link between the rupturing airbag inflators and high humidity. NHTSA is advocating that all owners pursue repairs immediately if they haven't already done so already. This is especially crucial for those drivers especially in Florida, Puerto Rico, Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, Virgin Islands and Hawaii because of the humid conditions there.
We don't need to tell you how dangerous an inadvertent airbag deployment could be - even in a stationary vehicle - but adding to the Takata issue is fears that the deployment could lead to shrapnel being sprayed into the cabin.

BMW i1 EV rumored, based on electric Mini

With just two BMW i cars currently available — and aging — we've been hankering to know what new EVs are coming down the pipeline for the Bavarian automaker. We've had news of the iNext and i4, caught wind of an iX3, and as BMW is in the early stages of a large electrification push, there has been a multitude of "i"-prefaced trademarks registered. The next we can expect, if the rumors from Spanish outlet Motor.es are to be believed, will be a diminutive i1 EV, based on the same platform as an upcoming electric Mini Cooper. As such, it would share the electric Mini's front-drive/front-motor configuration — previewed on the Mini Electric Concept, shown above, that debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year. It stands to reason that the i1 would be smaller than the high-roofed i3, possibly borrowing the five-door hatchback format from the 1 Series sold in Europe (which would be a long-awaited dream come true if it made its way to the United States). The electric car would be about a foot shorter than the 1 series, though, according to the report, at about 158 inches long. It would be built on an electric version of BMW modular UKL platform. Keep in mind, the BMW i1 is just a rumor at this point, with Motor.es keeping its sources unnamed. If true, though, it could replace the i3 in BMW's lineup five years from now, in 2023. Related Video: News Source: Motor.es via Motor1 Green Rumormill BMW MINI Hatchback Electric Future Vehicles bmw i mini ev mini cooper ev