Under the agreement, the two companies agreed on a collaborative research in the field of next-generation lithium-ion battery technologies. Furthermore, they have agreed to identify and discuss other possible collaborative projects.

In addition, Toyota Motor Europe, Toyota’s European subsidiary, and BMW Group have entered into a contract under which BMW Group is to supply 1.6 liter and 2.0 liter diesel engines to TME starting in 2014. The engines will be installed in certain Toyota-produced vehicles planned for sale in the European market. Through this agreement, Toyota plans to expand its European lineup and sales of fuel-efficient, low CO2-emission diesel-powered vehicles.

The tie-up in diesel technology would represent a reversal in Toyota’s strategy after it scrapped plans two years ago to develop 1.6-liter diesel engines with Japanese truck maker Isuzu Motors Ltd, in which it owns a 5.9 percent stake.

Marking the announcement, Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, said: “Toyota is the leading provider of environment-friendly series technology in the volume segment and the BMW Group is the most innovative and sustainable manufacturer of premium automobiles. We are now joining forces to further develop environment-friendly technologies and to expand our innovation leadership in each of our segments. Supplying Toyota with our fuel efficient and dynamic diesel engines represents another important step in the planned expansion of our sales activities for engines and powertrain systems.”

Representing TMC, President Akio Toyoda said: “It is a great joy and a thrill to enter into this mid-to-long-term collaborative relationship with BMW, a company with its own culture and history from its many years of car manufacturing in Europe, and a company that makes cars that are fun to drive. In the spirit of contributing to furthering the development of the auto industry and society, both companies will bring their wide-ranging knowledge – starting with that concerning environmental technologies – to the table and make ever-better cars.

With the acquisition, BMW aims to strengthen its focus on lightweight construction and the use of carbon fibre reinforced plastics or CFRP in automobile manufacture.

BMW didn’t disclose the financial details of the transaction and said that it’s not seeking a seat on SGL’s supervisory board.

BMW is a second German automaker in nine months to invest in the world’s largest maker of carbon and graphite products, strategic materials for the car industry. Volkswagen AG announced it bought an 8.2 percent stake in SGL in March.

The BMW Group and the SGL Group already operate a joint venture. The SGL Group holds 51% and the BMW Group 49 % of shares in the joint company, SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers.

The two partners have built a new state-of-the-art carbon fibre manufacturing plant together in Moses Lake in Washington State in the U.S. The new plant plays an important part in the two companies’ strategy to automate the production of ultra-light carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRPs) for use in future vehicle concepts.

The carbon fibres produced in Moses Lake are being processed at facilities in Wackersdorf and Landshut. Wackersdorf delivers textile fabrics made from carbon fibres, which are then being processed at the BMW plant in Landshut to make lightweight CFRP body components for the BMW i3 and BMW i8. Both vehicles will be assembled at the BMW plant in Leipzig.

The BMW i3, the BMW Group’s first series-produced electric vehicle, will be released on the market in 2013, followed by the BMW i8 sports car shortly afterwards.

The work is part of the Modellregion Elektromobilität München – Drive eCharged project being funded by Germany’s Ministry of Transport, Building, and Urban Development.

The partners’ goal with the project is to establish their charging concept as an international standard. The system utilizes plugs standardized for AC charging that have been modified to accommodate DC charging. Until now, electric vehicles that can be charged with either AC or DC needed to use two different sockets. The project partners recently presented a prototype of the new charging system in the Transportation section of the Deutsches Museum in Munich.

Charging times and vehicle range are key aspects that influence consumer acceptance of electric cars. Today’s batteries have to be recharged more often than a conventional vehicle needs to be refueled, and the recharging process also takes several hours when a conventional socket is used. Charging times of half an hour or less can be achieved with DC technology, however. Unlike AC systems, with DC technology the power converter is located outside the vehicle at the charging station, which means the cars that use it can be made lighter. This, in turn, increases vehicle range, and combined with short charging times it therefore makes electric vehicles more attractive to fleet operators.

Special charging units are required for this system, however, which is why the Drive eCharged partners have developed a user-friendly approach that offers several advantages over the systems now in use. For example, AC and DC plugs fit into the same socket on the vehicle. The new approach also standardizes communication between the vehicle and charging station for AC and DC operations, which means it will be able to support additional functions like smart charging or bi-directional charging for both charging modes in the future. Over the medium term, it is expected that DC systems will be able to charge a vehicle to the equivalent of a 100-kilometer (62 miles) range in just 15 minutes.

The new system was successfully tested in September 2011 with a Siemens charging station and a BMW ActiveE electric car, and Siemens and BMW have already submitted proposals for standardizing DC charging to the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The two companies are planning to continue this work on standardization.

The new facility is strategic for the manufacture of ultra light-weight carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) for use in the new BMW i electric vehicles.

The two parent companies will invest approximately $100 million in their Moses Lake plant and create 80 new local jobs until 2013. In order to prepare the large scale production start of BMW i vehicles in 2013 it is important to start the carbon fiber manufacturing now. All electricity needed for the production of carbon fibers will come from readily available clean and renewable local hydropower.

Thanks to the emission-free drivetrain and a value added chain designed to be sustainable all along the line, life cycle emission figures for the BMW i3 are at least a third lower than for a highly efficient combustion-engine car. If the BMW i3 is run on electricity from renewable sources, the figures improve by well over 50%.

Carbon fiber technology will fundamentally change the car industry, becoming increasingly important in the quest for lighter-weight materials to reduce fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions. With the new SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers plant in Moses Lake, BMW Group and SGL Group are proving that sustainable innovations will provide for a cleaner individual mobility of the future.

BMW is not alone in the race to make carbon fiber vehicles easily available to consumers. In January, Daimler followed BMW’s lead by forming a partnership with Toray Industries, a Japanese carbon producer. The group plans to begin mass production of carbon parts for the Mercedes-Benz brand in 2012 at a plant outside Stuttgart, Germany.

BMW will supply a four-cylinder turbocharged engine for the next generation of Fisker cars, code-named ‘Project Nina’, which are scheduled to go into production in the re-commissioned former GM plant in Wilmington, Delaware at the end of 2012 and be on sale globally in 2013.

The agreement calls for up to 100,000 engine units per year at peak volume.

The first ‘Project Nina’ derivative will be a mid-size premium sedan utilizing Fisker’s EVer (electric vehicle with extended range) technology to deliver on Fisker’s corporate vision of Uncompromised Responsible Luxury.

California-based Fisker Automotive recently established a European office in Munich, Germany and has publicly stated that both the Fisker Karma Sedan and ‘Project Nina’ lines are global vehicles with sales likely to be split equally in the US and Europe (40% each), with Asia (20%) providing the remainder.

Unveiled for the first time, these concept vehicles provide a glimpse of the first electrically powered production cars from the new BMW i sub-brand, due to be launched as the BMW i3 in 2013 and the BMW i8 in 2014.

BMW is planning to take its new subbrand public in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, where the diminutive i3 and more sporting two-plus-two i8 will be revealed in concept guise for the first time.

BMW i3 Concept
With its zero-emission electric drive and a range of approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles), the BMW i3 Concept has been specifically developed for use in an urban environment, its dynamic 125 kW electric motor and rear-wheel drive ensuring BMW-style dynamic handling. Thanks to its innovative LifeDrive architecture featuring a carbon passenger cell, the BMW i3 Concept combines an extremely low weight of 1,250 kilograms with optimal interior space and the highest crash safety levels. With four seats and a 200-liter luggage compartment, this vehicle is fully suited for everyday use.

The application of this new CFRP technology allows a weight reduction, compared to a conventional electric car, of between 250 and 350 kilos, and that means more dynamic handling coupled with a greater range. The BMW i3 does the 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint in less than eight seconds, while a high-speed charger achieves an 80% battery charge in just an hour.

Thanks to the emission-free drivetrain and a value added chain designed to be sustainable all along the line, life cycle emission figures for the BMW i3 are at least a third lower than for a highly efficient combustion-engine car. If the BMW i3 is run on electricity from renewable sources, the figures improve by well over 50%.

BMW i8 Concept: new-generation sports car

The BMW i8 Concept goes from 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) in less than five seconds and boasts fuel consumption of under three liters per 100 km. Its plug-in hybrid drive with a system output of 260 kW allows a range of up to 35 kilometers (21.7 miles) in electric mode – sufficient for most everyday journeys. For more dynamic driving or out-of-town routes, a high-performance three-liter petrol engine also comes into play. The sports car has an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h and space for up to four occupants.

Both the BMW i3 and the BMW i8 will be built at BMW’s Leipzig plant in Germany. Some 400 million euros are earmarked for investment in new buildings and facilities by 2013, while 800 new jobs are to be created. Vehicle production will be CO2 neutral and will draw on renewable resources. The company is currently investigating the possibility of erecting its own wind turbines on the plant site.

The charging stations will be located in the Boston metropolitan area, primarily within the Route 495 Beltway.

Drivers of the BMW ActiveE will be able to conveniently and safely recharge their electric vehicle at any ChargePoint Network-enabled electric vehicle charging station in the US. Drivers have access to the ChargePoint Network’s 24/7 driver support and mobile phone applications, which include station location and real-time availability, turn-by-turn navigation, and charging status.

The BMW ActiveE is the BMW Group’s next step towards an emission-free, mass-produced electric vehicle. Within the framework of project i, the BMW Group has been carrying out research and development work on the development of electrically powered vehicles. The ultimate goal is the concept of a Megacity Vehicle, the BMW i3 that meets the demands of a sustainable mobility solution for congested urban areas. For this reason, the drive components and battery technology that will be used in the i3 are being tested in the BMW ActiveE.

Ongoing field tests involving more than 600 MINI E cars, including 450 in the US, have already provided vital knowledge about the demands on future electrically powered production vehicles. A fleet of over 1000 BMW ActiveE vehicles will provide further valuable insights into the everyday use of the vehicle. The findings will serve to deepen the knowledge already gained on the everyday use of electric vehicles and to learn more about customer requirements. The feedback from customers testing the MINI E and the BMW ActiveE will be fed directly into series production of the i3, which is scheduled to launching under the i Brand in 2013.

The BMW E-Scooter has a daily range of 100 kilometers (62 miles), which are at the level of current maxi scooters powered by a 600 cc combustion engine, and it’s battery can be fully charged in three hours from a household outlet.

Instead of having a conventional frame, the E-Scooter has an aluminum battery casing — which also contains the electronic system required for battery cell monitoring —takes over the function of the frame. The steering head support is connected to it, as is the rear frame and the left-hand mounted single swing arm with directly hinged, horizontally installed shock absorber.

When the E-Scooter decelerates or brakes, kinetic energy is recovered, increasing its range between 10 and 20 percent depending on driving profile.

The electrical components required for the electric drive are installed on the top of the battery casing. The external battery electronics system permanently collects and monitors data such as the temperature and voltage of the battery cells, both during travel and while charging. The power electronics acts as a control system and controls the electric machine. The charging device includes a charge cable which allows the battery to be recharged at a conventional household power socket. In addition to the other components like an ISO insulation monitor, high-voltage indicator and a high-voltage distributor, a DC-DC converter is included. It is required to change high voltage to low voltage power to supply the 12 volt vehicle supply and especially for the control units.

During travel, the electric machine and power electronics are liquid-cooled, as is the charging device during charging. An electric coolant pump ensures coolant circulation through the radiator. While a coolant is commonly used for the battery in electrically powered cars, the E-Scooter concept vehicle uses an air cooling system in order to save space.

BMW Motorrad is one of the very few motorcycle manufacturers to be able to draw on its own experience and expertise in the automobile field in the development of electrically powered vehicles. Synergies are derived from the development of the BMW E-Scooter concept vehicle not just in the ready availability of technical components but also in the area of high voltage engineering and the associated safety requirements. Here for the first time, standards established by the leading automobile manufacturers relating to high voltage safety (> 60 volt) and functional reliability are being applied to a two-wheel vehicle with electric drive.

The BMW ActiveE electric vehicle is the second phase of the BMW Group’s electro-mobility development strategy and brings all-electric technology to a new class of luxury vehicles. ActiveE vehicles will be distributed in the major metropolitan markets of Boston, Los Angeles, New York City, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento.

Based on the chassis of a BMW 1 Series Coupe, the ActiveE electric car features an electric drivetrain and is powered by an advanced, high-voltage, lithium-ion battery pack.

AeroVironment’s EVSE-RS charging station uses the industry standard SAE J1772 connector to deliver approximately 25 miles of driving range per hour of charging time. A complete charge from a fully discharged state will take between four and five hours, delivering the ActiveE’s maximum range of 100 miles. The charging stations will be installed with a 240-volt electric circuit in drivers’ home garages as part of the vehicle’s total driving system, and are designed to provide a safe, practical and dependable charge.

BMWs aren’t the only electric cars the EVSE-RS can charge–AeroVironment’s weather-proof station is designed to work with any EV or plug-in hybrid that uses the SAE J1772 connector port. AeroVironment also supplies the home charging systems for the Nissan Leaf.

The BMW ActiveE will be a prelude to the 2013 launch of the Megacity Vehicle, BMW Group’s all-electric urban hatchback.

A 24-month lease for the BMW ActiveE will be offered for $499 per month with a down payment of $2,250.

BMW ActiveE will incorporate specially-designed lithium ion batteries developed in cooperation with SB-LiMotive which are being used for the first time and that allow for a range of around 100 miles in everyday driving. The batteries will feature liquid heating and cooling, as well as the ability to pre-condition the system while connected to the grid enabling maximum range capability regardless of ambient conditions.

Based on the 1 Series Coupe, the BMW ActiveE will accelerate from 0-60 mph in under nine seconds, making it the first electric vehicle to combine the dynamic characteristics typical of a BMW with the zero-emissions benefits of driving an electric vehicle.

In order to help consumers determine if an ActiveE is right for them, the new app, BMW Evolve is now available for download from the Apple iTunes Store and later this month in the Android Marketplace.

The BMW ActiveE, the first full-electric BMW available to customers, was unveiled today in advance of the 2011 New York Auto Show, where it will make its North American debut.

The reservation process will begin in late summer 2011 and you can get in on the action at BMWActivateTheFuture.com.