BMW is emphasizing again its commitment for the upcoming BMW i electric vehicles. A report by Automotive News Europe confirms that BMW AG has hired quondam Opel product chief and lead engineer for Chevy Volt, Frank Weber.

Weber brings his expertise and lessons learned from the Volt that will exist applied to the BMW i3, the outset BMW fully electric vehicle to come to market place in 2013. Weber will report to Klaus Draeger, BMW'southward head of enquiry and evolution. Equally Automotive News reports, Weber's hiring shows the high value automakers place on people with expertise in alternative powertrain every bit BMW seldom hires superlative-ranking executives from competitors because information technology prefers to develop its own talent and promote from within.

frank weber bmw

Weber is a German native who joined Opel in 1991 after finishing his engineering studies at Darmstadt Academy. He held several leading positions in the technical evolution center in Ruesselsheim such equally director of advanced concept engineering.

The upcoming BMW i3 is congenital using lightweight carbon fiber materials and powered by a lithium-ion battery with 35 kWh of capacity placed below the vehicle's floor. Rear-wheels approach remains in BMW's philosophy and the power is sent to the rear wheels through a rear-mounted 150-hp electric motor. Driving range is expected to pinnacle at 100 miles and top speed at 95 mph. The i3′s chassis volition exist aluminum and the passenger cell made from carbon cobweb—BMW says more conventional materials would add as much equally 650 pounds to the i3—and the electric motor could be joined past a range-extending internal-combustion engine at some point. The i3 will bear over the BMW cadre values effectually rear-wheel drive vehicles. The electric motor will be placed directly to a higher place the rear axle.

The car will be previewed side by side year at the London 2012 Olympics.

[Source: AutoNews via AutoblogGreen ]