BMW Loans i3 EV to Los Angeles Police Department for Evaluation

Los Angeles, CA – September 11, 2015 11:30am PDT/2:30pm EDT … BMW i today announced that it will loan the Los Angeles Police Department a BMW i3 electric vehicle for twelve months in the first US test of the innovative EV in an authority fleet. The BMW i3 test vehicle, which sports the famous LAPD black and white livery, complete with rooftop light-bar, will undergo a year of rigorous testing. It will also be featured at public events throughout the loan period.

“The decision by the Los Angeles Police Department to undertake this evaluation highlights the compelling nature of the BMW i3 as a versatile, sustainable vehicle,” noted Christine Fleischer, Manager – BMW i for BMW of North America. “By virtue of its innovative design and construction from leading-edge materials, the i3 is a brilliant fit with the technology-driven research philosophy of the LAPD. This will be a valuable learning experience for both BMW and the Department.”

The LAPD will benefit from the compact size and agility, thanks to the light-weight Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic construction of the BMW i3. The very tight turning circle of the i3 will make maneuvring around the streets of Los Angeles a breeze. The LAPD will have access to the large, conveniently located network of BMW i Centers, making servicing of an i3 fleet convenient and cost effective.

Watch for the “LAPD” BMW i3 on the streets and at events around Los Angeles over the coming months.

About the BMW i3, the company’s first-ever production electric vehicle

The BMW i3 is the first of the BMW i vehicles constructed from the ground up primarily of carbon fiber to enter the U.S. market. With 170 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque hybrid-synchronous electric motor, the fully electric BMW i3 is electrified by a 22-kWh lithium-ion battery, good for 80-100 miles of emission-free driving. Agile and engaging to drive, the BMW i3 is ideally suited for dense urban areas. Every aspect of the BMW i3 has been conceived for sustainability. The carbon fiber used to create the i3 is produced using hydro-electric power. The BMW i production facility in Leipzig, Germany draws much of its power from wind energy. Even the interior of the BMW i3 was created using sustainably-sourced materials.

The BMW i3 has a base MSRP of $42,400 and the range-extender model starts at $46,250, before any federal or applicable state incentives.  

About BMW i

BMW i is the BMW Group’s forward-looking and sustainable brand dedicated to solving many of the mobility challenges faced by the world’s most densely populated cities. The all-encompassing approach of BMW i includes the extensive use of recycled, renewable raw and naturally treated materials, alongside an extremely resource-efficient production method.

BMW Group In America

BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars; Designworks, a strategic design consultancy based in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group’s global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 and X3 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 and X4 Sports Activity Coupes. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 339 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 149 BMW motorcycle retailers, 124 MINI passenger car dealers, and 36 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW products is available to consumers via the Internet at:

www.bmwusa.com.

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Journalist note: Information about BMW and its products in the USA is available to journalists on-line at www.bmwusanews.com.

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