# BMW E1 > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/BMW_E1 > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/BMW_E1.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_E1 > Source revision: 1348201980 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) BMW concept vehicles **BMW E1** is the name of two [electric](/source/Electric_car)/[hybrid](/source/Hybrid_electric_car) [city car](/source/City_car) [concepts](/source/Concept_car) by [German](/source/Germany) automobile manufacturer [BMW](/source/BMW), revealed at the 1991 then 1993 [International Motor Show Germany](/source/International_Motor_Show_Germany). ## First generation (Z11; 1991) Motor vehicle BMW E1 (Z11) Overview Manufacturer BMW Production 1991 Designer Mark Clarke, Henrik Fisker (1991)[1] Body and chassis Class City car (A) Body style 3-door hatchback Powertrain Battery 19 kWh sodium sulphate battery Dimensions Length 3,460 mm (136 in) Width 1,648 mm (64.9 in) Height ~1,500 mm (59 in) Chronology Successor BMW E1 (Z15) The first-generation BMW E1 prototype, the Z11, was revealed in 1991, and was all-electric. Only one example of this car was built. ### Overview The Z11-gen BMW E1 concept was revealed at the 1991 [International Motor Show Germany](/source/International_Motor_Show_Germany) in [Frankfurt](/source/Frankfurt), [Germany](/source/Germany). It was a fully-functional 3-door, 4-seat [electric](/source/Electric_car) [city car](/source/City_car). The E1 initially began development in 1990 with Technik, a division of BMW started in 1985, created to develop new technologies for cars. It was designed to test if a production electric car would work, partly due to the [U.S.](/source/United_States) state of [California](/source/California)'s demand that 2% of new cars sold in the state be [zero emission](/source/Zero_emission). This is the same reason for the creation of the [General Motors EV1](/source/General_Motors_EV1).[2] ### Specifications The Z11 E1 concept was powered by a 19 kWh [sodium sulphate](/source/Sodium_sulphate) battery, which in turn powered a direct-drive motor on the rear axle, giving the car a total output of 45 [bhp](/source/Brake_horsepower) and 111 lb ft. of [torque](/source/Torque). The E1 had a range of 155 miles (249 km) and two-hour [rapid charging](/source/Rapid_charging). The structure of the car was made from [aluminum](/source/Aluminum) while the body was made from [recycled plastic](/source/Recycled_plastic) and was finished in a bright red paint. The car used custom-built [alloy wheels](/source/Alloy_wheel), which were 14 in (360 mm) in the front and 16 in (410 mm) in the back.[2] ### Replacement The only Z11-gen E1 concept was destroyed in a fire that occurred while it was charging, and was replaced by a new concept for 1993.[3][4] ## Second generation (Z15; 1993) Motor vehicle BMW E1 (Z15) 1993 BMW E1 at Motorshow di Bologna (front) Overview Manufacturer BMW Also called BMW E2[5] Production 1993 (2 built; one EV and one hybrid) Designer Mark Clarke (1993)[5] Body and chassis Class City car (A) Body style 3-door hatchback Powertrain Engine 4-cylinder engine Transmission 5-speed manual (hybrid variant) automatic Battery 19.2 kWh Sodium nickel chloride battery Chronology Predecessor BMW E1 (Z11) Successor BMW i3 (spiritual) 1993 BMW E1 at the [BMW Museum](/source/BMW_Museum) (rear) The second-generation BMW E1 prototype, the Z15, was revealed in 1993 at [International Motor Show Germany](/source/International_Motor_Show_Germany) on September 9, 1993. Two examples of the car were built; an all-electric version and a [hybrid](/source/Hybrid_electric_car) version. The Z15, like the previous Z11, was also a 3-door city car that seats four passengers. ### Specifications The electric version is powered by a 19.2 kWh [sodium nickel chloride](/source/Molten-salt_battery) battery and has a top speed of 80 mph (130 km/h). It is finished in a green metallic paint and features a green interior.[6] The hybrid version also uses the [4-cylinder](/source/4-cylinder_engine) [internal combustion engine](/source/Internal_combustion_engine) used in the [BMW K1100](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=BMW_K1100&action=edit&redlink=1) motorcycle and a 5-speed [manual transmission](/source/Manual_transmission), and has an output of 82 hp. This variant is painted red.[7][6] Both examples of the Z15-gen E1 feature a similar lightweight body to that of the Z11, which is made of aluminum and plastic.[6] ## Legacy Although the E1 was never produced, BMW introduced the ICE-powered 1993 [3 Series Compact](/source/BMW_3_Series_Compact), featuring similar styling to the Z11, two years after the Z11 E1 concept's revealing. Furthermore, BMW did eventually introduce an electric city car, the [i3](/source/BMW_i3_(hatchback)), in 2013, 20 years after the Z15 concept. The Z15 concept remains at the [BMW Museum](/source/BMW_Museum) in [Munich](/source/Munich).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Dredge, Richard (8 April 2021). ["BMW E1"](https://www.below-the-radar.com/bmw-e1/). *Below the Radar*. Retrieved 27 July 2023. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-z11_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-z11_2-1) Culmer, Kris (15 March 2018). ["Throwback Thursday 1992: BMW E1 first drive"](https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/anything-goes-throwback-thursday/throwback-thursday-1992-bmw-e1-first-drive). *[Autocar](/source/Autocar_(magazine))*. Retrieved 4 October 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Der E1 – zum Zweiten"](https://bmw-grouparchiv.de/research/detail/index.xhtml?id=3712702), *BMW Group Archive*, 1 September 1993, retrieved 4 October 2021 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** DeMattia, Nico (24 April 2016). ["The BMW E1 Electric Car was quirky and ahead of its time"](https://www.bmwblog.com/2016/04/24/bmw-e1-electric-car-quirky-ahead-time/). *BMW Blog*. Retrieved 4 October 2021. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-e2_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-e2_5-1) Cogan, Ron (28 November 2022). ["Early BMW Electric Vehicle Development: The BMW E2"](https://greencarjournal.com/dont-miss/early-bmw-electric-vehicle-development-the-bmw-e2/). *Green Car Journal*. Retrieved 27 July 2023. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-autoblog_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-autoblog_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-autoblog_6-2) Navarro, Xavier (26 June 2009). ["Back in time: a gallery of BMW's electric car prototypes through the years"](https://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/26/back-in-time-a-gallery-of-bmws-electric-car-prototypes-through/). *AutoBlog*. Retrieved 4 October 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["1993 BMW E1"](https://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z3702/bmw-e1.aspx). *Conceptcarz.com*. Retrieved 4 October 2021. ## External links Media related to [BMW E1](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:BMW_E1) at Wikimedia Commons v t e BMW vehicles Current Cars 1 Series 2 Series Active Tourer Gran Coupé 3 Series 4 Series 5 Series 7 Series Crossovers/SUV X1 X2 X3 X5 X6 X7 M M2 M3 M4 M5 X3 M X5 M X6 M XM i i3 i5 i7 iX1 iX2 iX3 iX5 iX Upcoming iX4 Concepts 3.0 CSL Hommage Concept 4 Series Coupé Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid Concept Coupé Mille Miglia CS Concept Concept X6 E1 (Z11 • Z15) Garmisch GINA Concept i4 i8 Concept i8 Concept Spyder i Vision Circular i Vision Dee Vision iNext iX Flow Concept i Vision Dynamics M1 Homage concept Nazca C2 Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupé Track Trainer Turbo Vision ConnectedDrive Vision EfficientDynamics X-Coupe ActiveHybrid X6 X7 Pick-up Concept Z07 Concept Z9 Z13 Z18 Z21 Z22 Zagato Coupé Zagato Roadster Discontinued 6 Series 8 Series X4 M1 M6 M8 i4 i8 Z Z1 Z3 Z4 Z8 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [BMW E1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_E1) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_E1?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.