BMW 1602 Electric
Back in 1972, BMW envisioned a future ripe with electric vehicles. The German automaker used the Olympic Games in Munich to display two of its first-ever converted 1602 electric-powered vehicles.
42 years later, BMW is launching its first two mass produced electric vehicles in the BMW i3 and BMW i8.
Here's a look back at where BMW's electric vehicle program got its start.
BMW 1602 Electric (1972):
Motor: DC shunt-wound motor Peak output: 32 kW Energy storage: 12 lead-acid starter batteries Capacity: 12.6 kWh Top speed: 62 mph Acceleration: 0-31 mph 8 seconds Range in city traffic: 19 miles
What's the 19-mile range in city traffic convert to at highway speeds? Well, the 1602 Electric isn't quite capable of reaching today's highway speeds, but at a constant 62 MPH, we reckon the 1602 Electric could at most make it 10 miles down the highway before calling it quits.
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