BMW
The BMW i3 has everything you might want in a high-end electric vehicle: lower carbon emissions, an aerodynamic exterior, certified wood “from responsible sources,” and access to a conventional SUV.
Customers of BMW’s first electric model can book a conventional auto like the full-sized X5 SUV for several weeks a year for family trips or as a backup. The “add-on mobility” feature, for which BMW hasn’t yet revealed pricing, is part of the manufacturer’s effort to overcome a major concern about electric vehicles, namely getting stuck on the side of the road with a dead battery.
Our first instinct was to laugh at this, because, well, an SUV is not particularly efficient. Actually, it’s pretty much the opposite of an electric vehicle. But, on second thought, this plan combines two ideas we’re fans of: low-emissions cars and car sharing. It’s basically like BMW is running an upscale car-sharing service exclusively for EV owners who want to go on the occasional ski vacation. And if it means that these EV owners don’t buy their own SUVs, it’s a win — a tiny, incremental one, sure, but tiny steps in the right direction count, too.
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