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Why are all US-bound BMW i3 EVs with range extenders stuck at port?

The first BMW i3 EVs have been delivered in the US, but in a quirk of the rules, none of them have been the range-extended versions. Long-time BMW electric vehicle driver Tom Moloughney discovered this fact the hard way. His i3 REx has been sitting at a New Jersey port for over a week and he's getting impatient. The problem is something Moloughney calls a "Monroney Hold." So, instead of sitting there fuming, Moloughney did a bit of research and discovered that the problem is something he calls a "Monroney Hold." He says that "the EPA certification has not been completed so BMW doesn't have a Monroney label (window sticker) to post in the window before the car leaves the port, which is required by law. The range extender option changes (shortens) the car's electric range, and also requires an official MPG rating so BMW couldn't use the same Monroney label as they did for the all electric i3." You can read more on his website, but it turns out that the story isn't so simple. For one thing, the EPA testing has been finished. Washington State representative Chad Magendaz told Moloughney that he asked the EPA for an official statement and got the following from Linc Wehrly, Director of the Light-Duty Vehicle Center Compliance Division: "EPA tested the i3 REx and provided the results of that testing to BMW on May 13th. EPA is not aware of anything that would prevent BMW from importing the vehicles since May 13th." Then there's the official word from BMW. Spokesman Dave Buchko told AutoblogGreen that: We are moving as quickly as possible to release the first BMW i3 Range-Extender models to BMW i Centers. Receipt of test data from the EPA is one step, but not the final step, in the process of receiving certification from the EPA. Rules do not permit the release of vehicles for sale until EPA labels are finalized, produced and affixed to any vehicle. Barring any unforeseen delays, we expect that to happen by the end of this week. We have never certified a vehicle like this before. We are taking every precaution to make sure that everything is done in a timely, but more importantly correct manner. In that Monroney labels cannot be produced until the EPA certification process is complete, the characterization [of a "Monroney Hold"] is not technically incorrect, but there is more to it than that, as is often true in life. On a lighter note, BMW donated a loaded i3 to Brad Pitt's Make It Right charity foundation as a fundraiser. Read about that below.

2015 BMW M3 and M4 priced at $62,000 and $64,200

When the BMW M3 and M4 debuted on Monday at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show, it was to much fanfare and excitement. At that time, though, we were missing a big piece of the M3/M4 puzzle - the price.
According to a report from our roundel-obsessed friends at Bimmerfest, the four-door M3 will star at $62,000, while the M4 Coupe is priced at $64,200. Those prices do not include a $925 destination charge. That's a pretty significant jump over the $56,275 starting price of the old M3 Sedan and $59,275 starting price of the last M3 Coupe, although we'd argue that these cars should easily outpace their V8 counterparts in terms of overall performance. In other news, a six-speed manual will come standard, while the seven-speed M DCT will be an optional extra.
Bimmerfest also came up with a timeline for the M3 and M4's arrival. We should expect the official announcement of pricing, along with the full order guides, released near the end of this month or in early February. Production will kick off in March, while customers will be able to begin placing orders in late April. We'll get our first crack at both cars in June, with deliveries beginning later that month.

Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla's new wheels, BMW Smart Transport Robots

Tesla has added a new standard wheel option for the Model S. The electric carmaker updated its configurator to include the 19-inch "Slipstream" wheels, replacing the standard five-spoke wheels. The Slipstream wheels look somewhat similar to the larger Turbine wheels Tesla also offers in the Model S. Recent deliveries may have included the new wheels, and one Redditor said he was surprised to find them on his new Model S. Customers can still opt for the 21-inch Turbine wheels or the 19-inch Cyclone wheels for additional cost. Read more from Teslarati. A scam artist who pled guilty to fraud for selling credits for biodiesel he didn't produce has been sentenced to more than 10 years in prison. Philip Rivkin will spend 121 months in prison with three years of supervised release, and is required to forfeit $51 million and pay $87 million in restitution. Rivkin pled guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of making a false statement under the Clean Air Act. "Today we take another big step toward upholding the integrity of an important program that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and promotes energy independence," says EPA Assistant Administrator Cynthia Giles. She adds, "This sentence deters would-be violators and helps protect responsible companies that follow the rules." Read more from the US Department of Justice. BMW will launch its On-Street Parking Information service this year. By the end of 2016, the service will allow drivers in the US and Germany to find open parking spaces through their navigation system. It uses movement data of cars entering or leaving parking spaces to predict areas that are more likely to have vacant parking and direct drivers to those areas. Besides offering convenience, On-Street Parking Information could help save fuel that cars use while the driver searches for parking. BMW says trials in major cities have already delivered "reliable results." Read more at Green Car Congress. BMW is developing autonomous robots that move parts around its factories. The Smart Transport Robots can make their way to rolling parts containers and deliver them to where they need to be on the factory floor. The robots use radio transmitters and a digital map to navigate around the factory, but BMW plans to eventually upgrade to a more accurate 3D camera system. Powered by retired BMW i3 batteries, the robots have enough charge to last an eight-hour shift. According to BMW Vice President of Foreign Supply Dr.