BMW E1
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BMW E1

BMW E1 is the name of two electric/hybrid city car concepts by German automobile manufacturer BMW, revealed at the 1991 then 1993 International Motor Show Germany.

The first-generation BMW E1 prototype, the Z11, was revealed in 1991, and was all-electric. Only one example of this car was built.

The Z11-gen BMW E1 concept was revealed at the 1991 International Motor Show Germany in Frankfurt, Germany. It was a fully-functional 3-door, 4-seat electric city car. The E1 initially began development in 1990 with Technik, a division of BMW started in 1985, created to develop new technologies for cars. It was designed to test if a production electric car would work, partly due to the U.S. state of California's demand that 2% of new cars sold in the state be zero emission. This is the same reason for the creation of the General Motors EV1.

The Z11 E1 concept was powered by a 19 kWh sodium sulphate battery, which in turn powered a direct-drive motor on the rear axle, giving the car a total output of 45 bhp and 111 lb ft. of torque. The E1 had a range of 155 miles (249 km) and two-hour rapid charging. The structure of the car was made from aluminum while the body was made from recycled plastic and was finished in a bright red paint. The car used custom-built alloy wheels, which were 14 in (360 mm) in the front and 16 in (410 mm) in the back.

The only Z11-gen E1 concept was destroyed in a fire that occurred while it was charging, and was replaced by a new concept for 1993.

The second-generation BMW E1 prototype, the Z15, was revealed in 1993 at International Motor Show Germany on September 9, 1993. Two examples of the car were built; an all-electric version and a hybrid version. The Z15, like the previous Z11, was also a 3-door city car that seats four passengers.

The electric version is powered by a 19.2 kWh sodium nickel chloride battery and has a top speed of 80 mph (130 km/h). It is finished in a green metallic paint and features a green interior.

The hybrid version also uses the 4-cylinder internal combustion engine used in the BMW K1100 motorcycle and a 5-speed manual transmission, and has an output of 82 hp. This variant is painted red.

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