Mygreenwheels

BMW has announced that it is investing 400 million Euros into what will be Germany's first factory to mass-produce electric cars. The BMW Megacity will go on sale from 2013, so they'd better get a move on as all we've seen of this car so far is a teaser image.

BMW Megacity courtesy of AutocarDespite their late entry into the market, analysts believe that BMW could actually have the jump in the relatively new market of electric cars because its well-heeled customers belong to the group likely to be first to buy an EV as a second car for commuting and shorter trips. They won't be so put off by the relatively high price tags that currently proliferate on electric cars when they've got also got the comfort and prestige of the Beemer badge.

The company doesn't usually start talking publicly about a new car until just a few months before its launch, but BMW's head of design said they wanted to prepare buyers for a new kind of car while also responding to public curiosity. While the Megacity is planned to be a sub-brand, the company says that 'People will see that it's a BMW.'

BMW admits that the Megacity will have a much longer service life than a typical modern car and, with half the number of parts of a conventional car, it will be easier and quicker to build. In fact, a typical Megacity could stay in service for decades with relatively little expense. I can just imagine my local BMW dealer boo-hooing into his beer at that prospect - after-sales is where the dealers make their money.

Autocar reports that BMW foresees three types of customer: ‘responsibility- driven’ buyers who are most concerned with eco issues, ‘economy-driven’ customers whose worry is ownership costs, and ‘lifestyle-driven’ buyers who are keen consumers but demand sustainable products. This last lot - the premium buyers of the future - are the ones that BMW will target, so watch out for some real eco-bling when they get their wallets out. No brown rice and sandals for them.