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BMW wants to expand DriveNow carsharing program to 25 new cities

Daimler's Car2go car-sharing service just announced that it will debut in Rome, its 26th global city. Now, BMW says it wants to expand its own carsharing program to, wait for it, 25 more cities. Coincidence? We think not. BMW is looking to bring its DriveNow carsharing program, with its Mini Coopers and 1 Series, to as many as 15 new cities in Europe as well as 10 in the US, Bloomberg News says, citing comments BMW executive Peter Schwarzenbauer made at the Geneva Motor Show last week. The service is now operational in Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Munich, Dusseldorf and San Francisco and serves about a quarter-million people. Of course, it's that last city, where DriveNow started operations in August 2012, that's been somewhat problematic. San Francisco has tough guidelines when it comes to where the cars can be parked, with so few public parking areas to choose from. DriveNow charges $39 for membership in San Francisco, then $12 for the first half hour of driving and 32 cents for each additional minute. DriveNow competes directly against Car2go, which charges around $25 to become a member and then 41 cents a minute to rent a Smart ForTwo.

M235i outpoints 911, Corvette in CR testing, becomes highest-scoring BMW ever

Good news just keeps coming for BMW, as Consumer Reports has just handed out a stunner of a verdict - the M235i, a spritely, 320-horsepower coupe that starts at just $43,100 has bested the likes of the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and Porsche 911, vehicles that can easily cost twice as much and come to battle with considerably more power.
CR awarded the spiritual successor to the 1 Series M Coupe a score of 98 out of 100, beating out the 911 and the Stingray by three and six points, respectively. In fact, the M235i is remarkably close to the Tesla Model S' 99, making it one of the highest scores CR has ever handed out. It's also, not surprisingly, the highest-rated BMW ever.
Of the M235i's many attributes, Consumer Reports cited the car's performance potential as well as its quiet ride and comfort for front-seat passengers. While it's a shock to no one, CR called out the limited space in the backseats as well as some finicky controls as this Bimmer's biggest shortcomings.

Recharge Wrap-up: BMW X5 PHEV debuting in Shanghai, Proterra sets up shop in CA

South Carolina-based Proterra has received funding to build electric buses in California. The California Energy Commission has awarded the company, which is headed by former Tesla executive Ryan Popple, a $3-million grant. Proterra will use the funds for a facility in the LA suburb the City of Industry, where its largest customer, Foothill Transit, also operates. Proterra has also opened an office in San Bruno, just south of San Francisco. Read more at SFGate or at ValueWalk. Despite its "urban mobility" design, the BMW i3 has become popular outside of large cities. Rather than singular urban centers, "The strongholds in this country are parts of California, Texas and southern Florida," said BMW North America CEO Ludwig Willisch. He also says the electric car hasn't been particularly successful in the Northeast, with cities like New York perhaps not being as mindful of sustainability as California. BMW is also nearing i3 sales of 12,000 a year, which Willisch calls "a sustainable rate." Read more at Automotive News. BMW will debut its X5 xDrive40e plug-in hybrid at the Shanghai Motor Show this month. It is the first PHEV from BMW's core brand (not from its i sub-brand). It uses a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and electric motor for a total of 313 horsepower, and a combined fuel economy of about 70 miles per gallon (according to the ECE test cycle). Press days for the Shanghai Motor Show are April 20-21. Read more in the press release below. BMW at Auto Shanghai 2015. At a glance •BMW at the 16th International Automobile & Manufacturing Technology Exhibition (Auto Shanghai) from 22 – 29 April 2015 (Press Days from 20 – 21 April). •BMW presents a world premiere, four Asian premieres and two Chinese premieres in Shanghai. •World premiere: the BMW X5 xDrive40e Sports Activity Vehicle is the first plug-in hybrid series-production model from the BMW core brand. •Asian premiere: the new BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer is the first premium model in its segment to offer maximum variability and room for up to seven people. •Asian premiere: the new edition of the BMW 1 Series is even more expressive, sporting and efficient than before. •Chinese premiere for the three athletes in the luxury class: the new BMW 6 Series Convertible, the new BMW 6 Series Coupe and the new BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe. •Chinese premiere with top-notch driving dynamics, efficiency and exclusivity: the new BMW M6 Coupe and the new BMW M6 Gran Coupe.