1999 Bmw Z3 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

BMW exec says public chargers not important for EV success

What has BMW learned from years of electric vehicle test programs and working with Mini E drivers and the ActiveE Electronauts? According to BMW board member Herbert Diess, it's that public charging is not an important piece of the puzzle of making EVs a success. The way those early EV drivers used their vehicles told BMW that, "public infrastructure is not really very important because most people are charging their cars at home," Diess recently told Wards Auto. It's a message we've heard before. Diess' personal experience fits with this conclusion, he said. After driving his company's new i3 city EV for over a year, "not once have I touched public charging." Of course, the i3 does let the driver search for public charging stations and BMW has a partnership with ChargePoint, and Diess is not hinting that BMW is totally against the idea of public charging. Still, Diess' comments are not likely to find a warm welcome with everyone in the EV scene. An August 2012 UCLA study titled "Financial Viability Of Non-Residential Electric Vehicle Charging Stations" (PDF) clearly states: Adoption by consumers will largely be a function of the electric vehicle charging options available. Studies show that most EV charging currently takes place in the home (Carr 2010). Even so, in order for EVs to gain widespread consumer adoption, it is critical for an infrastructure of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSEs) to exist outside the home. Even BMW's own electric drivers have been sending mixed messages. In 2010, a study of Mini E drivers found that 87.5 percent said a public charging infrastructure is necessary, though 75 percent later said they could manage without such a network.

A 1903 Harley is worth how much? Hagerty adds bikes to price guide

Whenever the big auctions begin in places like Monterey, it's hardly a surprise to hear about classic Ferraris or other exotics crossing the block for a few million dollars. But, the record sale price last year for the "Captain America" bike from Easy Rider is just a small sign that there's a growing market to own a piece of motorcycle history, as well. To answer this demand, vehicle insurance and valuation company Hagerty is now including vintage bikes in its price guide. The most expensive cycle there is a 1903 Harley-Davidson Single with a value pegged at an eye-watering $15 million for an example in No. 1 condition. You don't need to be a multi-millionaire to buy a vintage bike, though. If there's an old cycle you're eyeing or there's one already in the garage, you can check what Hagerty thinks it's worth on the company's website, now. The database includes 61 motorcycle makers and 9,200 models from 1894-1996. The pages also have a ton of useful details, including a price history for four conditions. According to Hagerty, the market for classic bikes is up over 50 percent since 2010, and more of them are showing up at auction, as well. The vintage cycles with the biggest demand are Harley-Davidson FLHs from the '60s and '70s. Hagerty Launches Motorcycle Valuation Tools Motorcycle Market Demand Drives Creation of Database Covering Everything from $15 Million Harley-Davidsons to $1,500 Yamahas TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN (October 14, 2015) —Hagerty, the world leader in collector vehicle insurance and valuation tools, is pleased to announce the Hagerty Price Guide now includes motorcycles. The motorcycle guide, published on the Hagerty Valuations Tools website, includes 61 makes, 9,200 individual motorcycles built from 1894 -1996, and pricing for four conditions. Like its vehicle car and truck valuation guides, Hagerty's comprehensive motorcycle guide features model histories, images, current and historic pricing, and recent auction sales. "Motorcycles are one of the fastest growing segments in the collectible vehicle market," said McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty. "The recent interest is inspiring enthusiasts to pull their bikes out of long-term storage to enjoy again and share with the next generation.

BMW preparing two concepts for Villa d'Este

Every spring, the finest automobiles ever to grace tarmac gather on the shores of Lake Como for the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este. It's a chance for the most beautiful classics to compete for awards and for automakers and design studios to show off their concept cars under the soft light of the Italian sun. But while most of the vehicles old and new that show up for the concours are ones we've seen before, BMW takes things a step further.
As patron of the concorso d'eleganza for the past ten years, BMW regularly cooks up something new for the glamorous extravaganza. Last year it teamed up with Pininfarina for the Gran Lusso Coupé and revealed it alongside the Concept 90 motorcycle. The year before that came the BMW Zagato Coupe, preceded by the 328 Hommage and the M1 Hommage (pictured above) before it.
The theme for this year's event is the Roaring Twenties. BMW may not have been known back then on the same level as Bugatti or Duesenberg, but Rolls-Royce sure was.