Revolutionary BMW VED Prototype Hits The Road

The BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics (VED) prototype we saw debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year is actually going into production...and will be shockingly close to its conceptual form.

Often times a vehicle's lofty and futuristic conceptual design is a far cry from the form it takes on in production.

Cars World reports,

Final production numbers won’t be known for a while, but the prototype features wing doors and a 2+2 seating arrangement. Underhood, a three-cylinder turbo diesel engine “with a hybrid synchronous motor at the front axle and a full-hybrid engine at the rear axle” put out a total of 241 kW/328 bhp and hits 0-100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) in just 4.8 seconds. The sleek car can do this while burning just 3.76 litters of fuel per 100 kilometers (a Toyota Prius-beating 62.5 miles per gallon U.S.) and emitting 99 grams of CO2 per kilometer. The production VED will also be a plug-in, with the ability to go 50 km (31 miles) on lithium-polymer battery power.

AutoBlog Green goes on to say,

The VED's will reportedly carry either the i1 or i100 name, and that moniker will be placed on a chassis made of carbon fiber and powered first by either by a gas hybrid or fully electric motor. About a month ago it was rumored the coupe would first be available with the drivetrain from the ActiveHybrid 5 Concept, which itself was derived from the ActiveHybrid 7 Series. That option would be good for 300 horsepower thanks to a TwinPower turbo paired with a 40 kW electric motor and running through an eight-speed transmission.

The ultimate hybrid variant, however, would be a 1.5-liter, three-cylinder motor with 181 horsepower, paired to two electric motors each putting out 93 ponies. Output would be channled through a double-clutch transmission, and while the hybrid is supposed to be all-wheel drive, a rear-wheel drive model is supposedly planned as well – perhaps the sole electric version.

Predicted performance numbers are 0-62 in four seconds, 58 miles per gallon, but a sub-250 mile range. The VED is currently slated for 2013 production, and projected to cost somewhere between $175,000 and $250,000.

Hey, at least it will still undercut the Porsche Spyder 918 Hybrid by about $300,000.

Check out more images of the VED. Plus, you gotta love BMW's "Don'tBlogAboutThis.come drive one" campaign. (Notice the addition of the "e" to the end of the hyperlink.)