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BMW Exec Says Electric Vehicles 'Won't Work'

Posted April 26, 2011 11:14 AM

From Engadget:

Jim O'Donnell, CEO and chairman of BMW North America, recently sat down with the Detroit News to discuss the ActiveE -- an electric version of BMW's 1 Series coupe, available for lease in the US this fall. Most CEOs would've probably used the opportunity to wax PR poetic about their company's bold, forward-looking ethos, because that's what CEOs do. O'Donnell, however, used the occasion to let us in on a dirty little secret: EVs don't actually work. According to O'Donnell's undoubtedly robust calculations, EVs won't work for "at least 90-percent" of the human population, at current battery ranges. The situation is so dire, in fact, that the US government shouldn't even bother wasting its $7,500 tax credits on frivolous things like innovation, national security and clean air. "I believe in a free economy. I think we should abolish all tax credits. What they are doing is putting a bet on technology, which is not appropriate. As a taxpayer, I am not sure this is the right way to go." O'Donnell went on to say he's "far more optimistic" about diesel's chances of increasing BMW's US market share -- because, you know, it's not like the oil industry gets any tax breaks, or anything. And it's not like diverting some money away from oil subsidies and putting it toward EV technology would create the "level playing field" that O'Donnell and his company so desperately need. No siree, the US energy market is just as pure and fair as it's always been -- and it certainly doesn't deserve to be corrupted by an EV tax credit pestilence. That said, O'Donnell would still really appreciate it if we buy the battery-powered i3 when it launches in 2013. Who knows? He may even throw in a free bridge, too.

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Usbport
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#1

Re: BMW Exec Says Electric Vehicles 'Won't Work'

04/26/2011 12:53 PM

"Read the whole article" ?? That is the whole article. And it's pretty much a one-sided editorial blasting O'Donnell for saying what a lot of people are thinking -- that until EV batteries dramatically improve most people aren't going to buy an EV. The present subsidy for EVs is merely promoting a not-ready-for-prime-time technology. There are other ways to encourage auto companies to develop new battery technology.

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Re: BMW Exec Says Electric Vehicles 'Won't Work'

04/27/2011 12:02 AM

BMW build some of the best cars in the world, have a large R&D capacity and have a vested interest in getting into any winning technology, if they have have cold feet I'd listen to what they're saying.

Most power to run electric cars will come from coal fired power stations.

As with many "green" ideas - good intentions are not the same as good results.

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Re: BMW Exec Says Electric Vehicles 'Won't Work'

04/27/2011 5:57 AM

It's really hard to beat a tank of gasoline as a portable energy storage device. Recharging batteries in the time it takes to refill the tank would require magawatts of power, assuming that there were batteries that could absorb energy that quickly.
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Re: BMW Exec Says Electric Vehicles 'Won't Work'

04/27/2011 8:32 AM

I am waiting for exchangeable battery packs like what is used in electric fork trucks at many warehouses and factories. Those battery packs are able to operate for over 8 hrs without recharging. Put the pack behind the back seat. The truck could be deeper to make up for the lost room because there won't be a gas tank anymore. The technology is there, the car companies are just going about it in all the wrong ways as usual.

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Re: BMW Exec Says Electric Vehicles 'Won't Work'

04/27/2011 10:39 AM

I dare say the energy consumption profile of a warehouse forklift and the typical automobile are very different so you are comparing apples to oranges. Forklifts do not travel at very fast speeds either. Energy is 1/2 mass times the velocity SQUARED. When you brake, you lose that kinetic energy as heat. OK, a small percentage may be recovered by regen, but still. Road going vehicles are heavily penalized by excess weight. Batteries are heavy. This is an immutable fact that taxes an EV's viability.
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Re: BMW Exec Says Electric Vehicles 'Won't Work'

04/27/2011 3:20 PM

I am not going to argue the point with you other than, you can go on ecomodder.com and see where people have put these motors and batteries in their cars and it has worked very well.

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Re: BMW Exec Says Electric Vehicles 'Won't Work'

04/28/2011 12:27 PM

I won't argue with you that people have made these mods and are happy with them. That doesn't mean they are viable vehicles for the majority of automobile owners at this time.
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Fierce Tiger
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Re: BMW Exec Says Electric Vehicles 'Won't Work'

04/27/2011 12:32 PM

It's hard to believe a CEO would make a statement like this,

"it's not like the oil industry gets any tax breaks, or anything. And it's not like diverting some money away from oil subsidies"

As far as I am concerned oil subsidies are tax breaks for the oil industry. Therefore, any opinion from him concerning EVs is suspect.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/04/business/04bptax.html
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Re: BMW Exec Says Electric Vehicles 'Won't Work'

04/27/2011 3:16 PM

This CEO is an idiot, it may take some time before everyone is driving an electric powered car, but eventually it will happen!!!

Spencer.
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Re: BMW Exec Says Electric Vehicles 'Won't Work'

04/29/2011 12:29 PM

That BMW CEO is right on. His 90/10 EV work/won't work ratio sounds pretty close; give or take a % or two. It's well documented that EV's can find a useful place in short runs, like to the corner grocer. In fact it is already used in many places in the form of golf carts. There are many communities where residents use golf carts regularily in their everyday mobility needs; visiting friends, playing golf, shopping and even commuting to work in rural areas where it is permitted. Their range is around 15-20 miles which fills the bill for a lot of people. Their top speed is around 15mph which limits their use to communal living. Where commuting on roads and highways at higher speeds, and within short distances, say 100 miles round trip, the EV may be the answer. For the number of people who an EV would work well for them, they would buy one only when the price of gas exceeds the cost to operate an EV.

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