Munich. Saturday marks BMW i Andretti Motorsport’s home race
in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship: the BMW i Berlin E-Prix
presented by CBMM Niobium. In the support programme for the tenth
race of the season, Formula E fans will experience the innovative
and technological capabilities of the BMW Group up close and
personal. A variety of title partner BMW i activity areas invite
visitors to take a look into the future of mobility and visualise
exactly how the BMW Group is actively shaping it.
“For the BMW Group, Formula E has been more than just
a race series right from the start,” said BMW Group Motorsport
Director Jens Marquardt. “In addition to the sporting commitment, we
are using Formula E primarily as a platform to demonstrate innovative
and technological capabilities. The support programme at our home race
shows the many facets of the BMW Group’s forward-looking approach.
This is exactly the same as our approach in development where we have
established an efficient technological cycle between BMW i Motorsport
and BMW i, which benefits both us at the racetrack and BMW i
customers. The technical insights we gain through the extreme use in
Formula E flow directly back into series development.”
Dr. Jens Thiemer, Head of BMW Brand Management, said: “The home
race in Berlin is one of the highlights of the whole Formula E season
for us – and the perfect platform for demonstrating how BMW i is
involved in the key areas of future activity in the automobile
industry. With our diverse BMW i Vision Experience, we invite visitors
in Berlin to experience for themselves how the BMW Group presents the
development in the fields of design, automated driving, connectivity,
electrification and services. In particular, I’m looking forward to
the BMW i Vision Walk, which we developed in collaboration with our
Primary Partner Magna. It makes for excellent entertainment for the
whole family – and at the same time lets everyone know what we have
planned for the coming years.”
BMW i Vision Walk.
BMW i and Magna designed the BMW i Vision Walk in close
collaboration. It takes visitors on a journey through the mobility
topics of the future that are grouped under the term D+ACES (design,
automated driving, connectivity, electrification and services) at the
BMW Group. Holograms and interactive games impart background
information in an entertaining way, making the BMW i Vision Walk an
exciting, varied experience.
BMW Vision iNEXT.
The BMW Vision iNEXT is on display in the BMW i Experience Area in
the eVillage. The vision vehicle offers insight into what the BMW
iNEXT, due to be launched in 2021, has to offer in terms of
cutting-edge technology. With its ground-breaking technology for
highly automated driving, intelligent connectivity, and innovative
display control concepts, the BMW Vision iNEXT showcases totally new
ways to utilise driving time.
BMW Vision iNEXT Virtual Drive.
In the Virtual Drive, visitors experience a virtual drive in the BMW
Vision iNEXT – accompanied by the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant.
In addition to the vision vehicle on display, a sophisticated
mixed-reality installation provides an impression of what it is like
to drive autonomously, emission-free, and fully connected in the BMW
Vision iNEXT. To begin the simulation, the BMW Intelligent Personal
Assistant suggests an agenda for the day and plans the activities for
the trip perfectly. With virtual reality goggles and a
specially-designed spatial concept, visitors are able to immerse
themselves in this virtual world. Initially, they drive the BMW Vision
iNEXT themselves, but the vehicle soon takes over the driving function.
BMW i Co-Pilot Experience.
Visitors in Berlin can also experience autonomous driving for
themselves. At Tempelhof, a self-driving BMW i3 (combined fuel
consumption 0.0 l/100 km; combined power consumption 13.1 kWh/100 km;
combined CO2 emissions 0 g/km)* awaits the opportunity to
demonstrate its skills. Those attending the BMW i Co-Pilot Experience
use a smartphone to call the car over, allow it to drive them through
an obstacle course and experience how the car then parks and
manoeuvres by itself.
BMW i8 Roadster Safety Car.
After its unveiling before the Monaco E-Prix (MON) two weeks ago, the
BMW i8 Roadster Safety Car (combined fuel consumption: 2.0 l/100 km;
combined power consumption: 14.5 kWh/100 km, combined CO2
emissions: 46 g/km)* will be on standby in Berlin for the first time
in its official capacity as the safety car. It is primarily through
its spectacular design that the car sets new standards. It is the
first safety car in the world that can be deployed with an open
cockpit. The most striking characteristics of the spectacular
silhouette are the rear wing and the shortened windscreen.
The design continues the pattern, inspired by the BMW logo, of
alternating blue and white colour elements, already familiar from the
BMW iFE.18 and the BMW i8 Coupe Safety Car, and enhances it with a
print that perfectly fits open-top driving and the context of street
races that are standard in Formula E.
The BMW i Support Vehicle Fleet.
BMW i is “Official Vehicle Partner” of the ABB FIA Formula E
Championship in Season 5. Spearheading the fleet are two Safety Cars:
The BMW i8 Roadster Safety Car, which has been specially modified for
use at the racetrack, and the BMW i8 Coupe Safety Car (combined fuel
consumption: 1.8 l/100 km; combined power consumption: 14.0 kWh/100
km; combined CO2 emissions: 42 g/km)*. The BMW i fleet also
includes the BMW i3s (combined fuel consumption: 0.0 l/100 km;
combined energy consumption: 14.3 kWh; combined CO2
emissions: 0 g/km)* as “Race Director Car” and the BMW 530e (combined
fuel consumption: 2.2-2.1 l/100 km; combined energy consumption:
13.6-13.3 kWh/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 49-47 g/km)*
in its role as “Medical Car”.