BMW has been using the Beijing International Auto Show to inform the medial and public about its upcoming line of Megacity electric vehicles. The PR blitz is timely as BMW prepares to embark on the Chinese section of its Mini E test phase.

50 keen customers in China are scheduled to begin testing the all-electric version of the Mini Cooper later this year, while others will get the chance to test a fleet of cars based on the BMW ActiveE Concept in 2011 (pictured).

This second vehicle under the Project i campaign will provide important test results for the Megacity Vehicle, which will come to the global market in 2013.  One of the major development challenges for BMW is engineering the car so that despite a heavy set of batteries, it will have a weight lower than vehicles already on the market.

The lower the weight, the further the all-electric vehicle can travel on a single charge. For the Megacity, BMW is planning on plenty of lightweight materials including carbon fiber-reinforced plastic throughout the car.  This should translate to a longer range than the current 160-km range on the ActiveE.

Many are predicting that ‘Megacity’ will become a new sub-brand for BMW that, if successful, could become its own division.  For now, the electric car is being developed under project i, and will be manufactured in Leipzig, Germany.

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