BMW is out testing a prototype for what appears to be an electric sports car, though it isn't clear where the car might sit in the automaker's lineup.
The prototype is in the shape of a largish coupe with a wedge profile, and features a relatively tall ride height.
The prototype is also fitted with in-wheel motors with integrated braking systems, a technology BMW is known to be developing with automotive supplier Continental and electric motor startup DeepDrive.
It's possible the mystery sports car is a demonstrator model for the new in-wheel technology. The car is far from production ready. Right now there's no external charging port, leaving the engineers to plug the charging cable to a port under the front hood.
BMW Neue Klasse electric sports car spy shots - Photo via Baldauf
BMW has built such demonstrator models before. There was one in 2015 which featured a sports car-like design similar to the prototype here. That demonstrator was for hydrogen fuel cell technology.
If production is planned, we may be looking at a future member of BMW's upcoming Neue Klasse family of electric vehicles. Neue Klasse, German for “New Class,” is a reference to BMW's next-generation EV family. The vehicles will be based on a dedicated EV platform, and the first is due in 2025. It will be an electric compact crossover likely badged an iX3. It will be followed in 2026 by an electric compact sedan likely badged an i3.
The Neue Klasse family will eventually feature a coupe to replace the current 4-Series coupe, though the prototype seen here is likely too radical for a future 4-Series coupe. Instead, the prototype may be for a Neue Klasse sports car to fill the void of the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car.
The BMW M performance division was planning just such a model a few years back and even designed one before killing the project. That design also featured a wedge-like profile and thin LED strips for the taillights. Perhaps the project has been revived for a flagship model in the Neue Klasse family, though for now nothing has been confirmed.
source: https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1143722_bmw-neue-klasse-electric-sports-car-spied-for-first-time
by Viknesh Vijayenthiran
http://www.boscheuropean.com
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