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BMW i3s traction control tech going in all BMW, Mini cars

The BMW i3s is essentially a warmed-up version of the i3 electric car we all know and love. The performance boost isn't huge — just 14 horsepower and 15 pound-feet of torque — but it also gets a new suspension, wheels and tires as well as an improved traction control system. We found the car to benefit from all the updates when we drove it for our First Drive Review, but now BMW has offered up more details on just how the traction control system of the i3s helps make it better to drive. The company says it'll expand the technology to all future BMW and Mini models as well. The i3s's system is calibrated to help it to pull away quickly from a stop, making full use of the instantaneous torque offered by the electric motor. It also improves stability when accelerating out of corners, when using regenerative braking and, of course, when the road conditions are less than ideal. The results are palpable, and with the other improvements the i3s definitely feels stronger off the line, as we found on our drive. It's also about a half-second quicker to 60 miles per hour, at 6.8 seconds. The secret is in the response time of the stability control, which BMW claims is 50 times faster than the conventional system. This is made possible by moving the control process into the powertrain itself, rather than a remote unit. This reduces the signal path and, thus, the response time of the traction control system. BMW's Head of Chassis Development, Peter Langen, said of it, "With their high levels of torque and instantaneous responses to every movement of the accelerator, electric motors already make significantly higher demands on driving stability systems than conventional power units." While engineered to make the most of the electric motor, BMW says the shorter cycles of this traction control system show promise for internal combustion vehicles as well. As such, we'll begin to see the improved technology applied across the BMW and Mini lineups going forward. Related Video:

Recharge Wrap-up: GKN electric AWD, $8,500 for Tesla brake repair

A Tesla owner in Canada was quoted $8,500 to repair the brakes in his 2012 Model S. Tesla waived the labor costs, bringing the total price down to $5,824.75. Tesla said that since regenerative braking means the regular brakes get less use, occasional hard braking can help keep them working properly. Also, the salt on the roads in winter leads to corrosion of both the rotors and the calipers. Tesla suggests yearly brake service in harsh climates. Read more at Clean Technica. GKN is launching an electric all-wheel-drive system using its eAxle technology. BMW will be the first to use the system – which is optimized for compact vehicle platforms – in its 2 Series Active Tourer plug-in hybrid. On its own, the electric axle drive offers up to 70 kilowatts (94 horsepower) and 1,475 pound-feet of torque, enough to propel a vehicle up to almost 78 miles per hour under electric power alone. It can also disengage from the driveline when it's not needed in order to reduce rotating losses at higher speeds. Read more from Green Car Congress. The Orange County Transit Authority's (OCTA) first zero-emission, hydrogen powered bus uses a fuel cell from Ballard. The 40-foot ElDorado National Axess bus, powered by Ballard's FCveloCity fuel cell, was funded by the Federal Transit Administration's National Fuel Cell Bus Program. "Clean energy mass transit alternatives, such as this new fuel cell bus in Orange County, are a tremendous example of what can be done to help address clean air challenges," says Ballard Vice President Karim Kassam. "We are excited by the progress being made at OCTA and by others in California." Read more in the press release below. Ballard Module Powers First Zero-Emission Fuel Cell Bus for Orange County Transportation Authority VANCOUVER, CANADA and ORANGE COUNTY, USA – On May 23rd representatives from Ballard attended a ceremony to unveil the first zero-emission fuel cell bus to provide service for the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), one of the largest transit agencies in California. The OCTA bus is the 6th American Fuel Cell Bus (AFCB) configuration delivered in California. Karim Kassam, Ballard Vice President - Commercial said, "Clean energy mass transit alternatives, such as this new fuel cell bus in Orange County, are a tremendous example of what can be done to help address clean air challenges.

There's no substitution for BMW's E30 Mmmmm3

If you told someone that you had a friend with a four-cylinder BMW who "would let me wash the car," and in exchange for the privilege then let you drive that clean BMW once around the block, your first question would probably be "What kind of BMW is this?" There's a chance you wouldn't be surprised once you found out the coupe in question was the E30 M3, a car our own Zach Bowman dubbed the "Mmmmm3."
Petrolicious talks to Gabor Mester about the car he fell in love with, a black version of the original "Munich mauler" that was owned by the parents of a high-school friend - oh, and Mester was also in high school when this washing and driving took place. When the original owners were ready to sell, Mestor was ready to buy, and he hasn't had a single regret about it since.
You can enjoy his story in his words in the video below.