BMW 1 Series ActiveE - Active Aggressive

Starting this fall, 700 of these cars will be available to lease. This is the BMW ActiveE, an all-electric vehicle based on the 1 Series coupe. The Munich motormeisters claim this car is “100 percent BMW.” Meaning it will still have the kind of driving dynamics we have come to know and love, just no emissions. Power is from a 170-hp electric motor, good for 184 lb-ft of torque. And with electric cars, maximum twist is available from zero revs, which can be fun. It takes about five hours for a full top-up from a charging station’s 220-volt apparatus, and the range is a claimed 100 miles. Cities on either coast, where there’s a greater infrastructure, will get the largest share of ActiveE cars. As drivers use these machines and engineers learn more from what is essentially a subsidized test fleet, all the accumulated knowledge will go into the i3, BMW’s first dedicated production electric vehicle, expected in 2013. Lease terms for the ActiveE are $499 a month for 24 months, plus $2,250 up front. And yes, there’s a smart phone app to go with it.