Our spy photographer snapped a shocking shock prototype from BMW, exhibiting us a brand new EV Coupe with what seems to hub motors and a hanging, trendy, wedge design. A tradesman working at an obscure touchdown strip first noticed the disguised coupe, and phrase leaked to our shooter, who snagged these revealing pictures of BMWs thrilling future.
Here is particulars & report from a German correspondent:
BMW Neue Klasse Coupé
The Neue Klasse from BMW will utterly reposition and revolutionise the model. The brand new structure will regularly permeate all mannequin generations at BMW, however can even supply utterly new potentialities as we are able to see in these newest spy pictures. Thus far we all know two fashions of the BMW Neue Klasse as research, specifically the SUV and the Sedan. The Neue Klasse SUV from BMW has already been noticed a number of occasions as a prototype and is the primary mannequin in growth on public roads. The Neue Klasse Sedan has not but been noticed as a prototype and has solely been proven as a Imaginative and prescient Neue Klasse within the type of a examine.
Prototypes first roll-out
Utterly sudden and model new, one other Neue Klasse mannequin is now coming into the highlight in entrance of our digicam, specifically a prototype within the type of a Neue Klasse Coupé with a really futuristic design. The prototype had its rollout this week and was caught on digicam. At first look, the BMW Neue Klasse Coupé seems to be like a futuristic Buggy/Crossover with very lengthy doorways and a doable massive glass dome above the passenger compartment. However when you take a better look, you possibly can clearly acknowledge the face of the Neue Klasse on the entrance. Even when the headlights and the illuminated kidney grille are nonetheless camouflaged, the BMW entrance is unmistakable. The BMW Neue Klasse Coupé reveals design options and proportions of the Imaginative and prescient Neue Klasse examine. It seems to be a sporty coupé with flat traces and brief overhangs. The lacking door handles on this prototype are additionally attention-grabbing, as they’re changed by a door opener within the type of a black floor with contact operate on the top of the window line on the B-pillar. BMW is taking an enormous step in direction of the long run with this mannequin. Whether or not it is a small-series mannequin just like the BMW i8 is extremely conceivable.
New drive know-how with wheel hub motors
The drive know-how of this prototype is totally new, as that is the primary BMW mannequin with 4 wheel hub motors. As a result of lack of brake calipers, the silver wheel hub motors are clearly seen behind the black wheel rim. Simply final 12 months, BMW invested on this know-how with a Munich-based start-up known as DeepDrive and started a partnership. DeepDrive intends to have the ability to supply its wheel hub motor know-how in large-scale manufacturing from 2026 on the earliest. This drive know-how ought to permit for a better torque and energy density, leading to effectivity positive factors of between 20 and 40%.
It stays to be seen whether or not wheel hub motors of this dimension will be capable of ship sufficient energy for a future all-electric BMW M mannequin with an output of round 1,360 hp, however that is most likely not doable. BMW has been testing a purely electrical BMW i4 M as a prototype for a number of years, wherein 4 electrical motors have been talked about from the outset. Till now, there has by no means been any discuss of wheel hub motors, because the prototypes had clearly seen brake discs with brake calipers and no wheel hub motors. Nonetheless, BMW has communicated rather a lot lately concerning the future know-how and the doable introduction of a mannequin with 4 electrical motors, however there has by no means been any discuss concerning the design. Fairly the alternative, as a manufacturing model of the BMW i4 as a pure M mannequin was at all times denied.
Due to the wheel hub motors, BMW has gained loads of house on this platform and this creates room for utterly new potentialities. For instance, within the axle suspension, but additionally within the distribution of the batteries. It may be assumed that an 800-volt system with the brand new spherical cell battery know-how will probably be used right here. As you possibly can see within the footage, the motive force and entrance passenger sit very low within the car. Additionally it is not identified what’s behind the motive force and entrance passenger seats. There could possibly be two extra small seats right here or the battery know-how is positioned within the rear of this car in order that the motive force and entrance passenger can sit decrease within the car.
Design options of BMW research
If you happen to examine the design of this prototype with that of the Imaginative and prescient Neue Klasse examine, you’ll acknowledge many similarities. Not solely the sunshine ingredient within the entrance is analogous, but additionally the excessive rear finish with the inward profile beneath the hind lights and the bumper, which is then clearly protruding once more and wherein the diffuser is built-in. As within the Imaginative and prescient Neue Klasse examine, the hind lights are divided within the centre. The roof of this Coupé is also manufactured from glass, just like the idea automotive.
Nonetheless, the query nonetheless stays as to which mannequin that is. It is not going to be an idea automotive on wheels or one other examine, as such fashions are normally not camouflaged. As well as, this prototype has far too standard aspect mirrors for a examine and is even outfitted with a windscreen wiper.
The prototype was provisionally charged with the bonnet open through a small plug, which may have been an AC plug, as a result of there was no charging level on the roll-out location. A charging flap on the physique can’t be acknowledged.
