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Mini Rocketman concept reportedly going into production as an EV

Remember the Mini Rocketman Concept from the 2011 Geneva Motor Show? If you don’t thatÂ’s OK, as itÂ’s been almost an entire decade since Mini pulled the wraps off. Despite the massive time lapse, Mini decided to revive the concept, not just for show. The companyÂ’s finally going to put the Rocketman into production, as an electric vehicle. We've heard this before, a few years ago, but nothing was set in stone. Now it seems a decision has been made. AutoCar in Britain recently learned that the Rocketman will fulfill its premise as the companyÂ’s first subcompact city car. The production model, scheduled for 2022, will reportedly be heavily reworked and built as a joint project with Chinese automaker Great Wall Motors. “WeÂ’re advancing plans for a model along the lines of the Rocketman. ItÂ’s a car we have been looking at for a long time, but to build it profitably at the price point we think customers are prepared to pay, you need a joint venture partner to share costs. Great Wall Motors has provided that opportunity with a shared electric car platform that will be used by Mini,” an anonymous “senior BMW official” was quoted as saying. The production Rocketman will retain its three-door hatchback design and is expected to serve as the manufacturerÂ’s newest entry-level model. It will be built by Great Wall Motors in Jiangsu, China, while BMW oversees the design and production with plans to sell it in all markets globally. When the Rocketman first surfaced at Geneva, it was essentially BMWÂ’s direct response to DaimlerÂ’s Smart ForFour. However, even with positive feedback from prospective customers, the project was shelved because development discussions between BMW and its initial partner, Peugeot, ended abruptly. The companies were reportedly going to share platforms and powertrains in another joint venture. In the new agreement with the Chinese company, the production model will apparently use a small-car platform used by Great Wall Motors called the Ora R1. The Peugeot-BMW project was going to use either a three-cylinder gas or diesel engine. But the new model will gain an all-electric powertrain by Spotlight Automotive as a part of BMWÂ’s massive plan to launch up to 25 new plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles by the end of 2023. One of those models is the newly released all-electric Cooper SE.

BMW i8 customized by AC Schnitzer [w/video]

It may not enjoy the kind of factory support that Alpina does (let alone Munich's own M division), but as far as independent BMW tuners go, few have the kind of clout that AC Schnitzer does. Heck, it even won the DTM championship for BMW in its first year back in the series. And now the legendary Bimmer tuner has turned its attention to the i8. The list of Schnitzer's enhancements for the plug-in hybrid sports car is long, but perhaps wisely shies away from messing with the intricate powertrain. Instead the customization options focus on elements like the suspension, rolling stock, aero kit, and interior. AC Schnitzer has dropped the ride height by almost an inch at the front and 0.78 inches at the rear. It's fitted a set of 21-inch forged alloys with five split spokes and low-profile rubber to trim nearly ten pounds off the vehicle's unsprung weight while increasing its contact patch for better grip (albeit likely with higher rolling resistance). There's also a comprehensive rolling kit made of carbon fiber, including front spoiler elements, side skirts, and a rear wing that to our eye looks a little out of place on the i8, though individual customers may disagree. And the interior has been upgraded with aluminum pedals and velour floor mats. Of course customers will be able to pick and choose which elements they'd want to install on their hybrid vehicles, but you can check out the fully spec'd demonstrator in the high-resolution image gallery above and in the video below. (You just may want to turn down your speakers if you're not into German techno-pop.) Revolutionary Sporting Performance and Innovative Design The i8 by AC Schnitzer emphasises the strengths of the plug-in hybrid from Munich The BMW i8 is revolutionising its vehicle class as the first sports car to have the fuel consumption and emission values of a small car. Now thanks to AC Schnitzer, this revolution is being followed by another: the AC Schnitzer special equipment for the BMW i8 emphasises even more clearly the sporting performance and innovative design of the powerful, environmentally-friendly coupe. Lowered by 25 mm at the front and 20 mm at the rear, the i8 by AC Schnitzer hugs the tarmac more closely than the standard vehicle and can therefore develop maximum efficiency and dynamics on the road.

Recharge Wrap-up: EV charging at IKEA, Tesla Model M just rendering

Despite rumors, Tesla will not be producing a "Model M" electric motorcycle. After a rendering of a Tesla motorcycle concept by a designer named Jans Slapins began circulating online, some folks mistakenly thought it was something Tesla intends to build. Slapins, though, has no relationship with Tesla, nor has he claimed to. As cool as it could be, Tesla hasn't stated an interest in producing an electric two-wheeler, and, as Green Car Reports explains, Tesla's batteries don't lend themselves to the size and shape of a motorcycle the way, say, Zero's do. Read more at Green Car Reports. Piaggio and KTM are partnering to develop an affordable electric commuter vehicle. The EU is funding the project in the hopes that commuters would choose such a vehicle over polluting, traditionally powered vehicles for their daily drives. The initial plan is to create two four-wheeled tilting vehicles for demonstration purposes. The two manufacturers will also receive support from Bosch and several universities. Read more at Visor Down. Total has opened a hydrogen filling station in Munich, Germany with both standard compressed and BMW cryo-compressed hydrogen (CCH2) technology. CCH2 involves storing the fuel on board at low temperatures and just 350 bar pressure. It allows for up to 50 percent more storage than standard 700 bar systems (and, subsequently, a greater driving range). Having CCH2 hydrogen available at a public station allows BMW to further its fuel cell research and development with real-world testing. Read more at Green Car Congress. IKEA will install free EV charging stations at all of its Canadian stores. Each of the 12 stores will offer, initially, two 60-amp chargers available on a first-come-first-served basis. Sun Country Highway will install the chargers by the end of this summer (that's right, you don't have to assemble them yourself). IKEA sees itself as a prime location for EV charging as most of its stores are located near major highways. All of Canada's IKEA stores get their energy from renewable sources. "Electric vehicle charging stations are an important step on IKEA Canada's continuing journey towards sustainability," says IKEA's sustainability manager, Brendan Seale. Read more from Sun Country Highway. Related Gallery News Source: Green Car Reports, Visor Down, Green Car Congress, Sun Country Highway Green BMW Automakers Tesla Alternative Fuels Motorcycle Electric Hydrogen Cars recharge wrapup