[dna550]

BMW is looking into the possibility of making a battery-powered car for the U.S. market. This is part of a bigger picture in which the company will be expanding its Spartanburg, S.C., facility to make all its products that happen to have an X or Z in their names (while downsizing its German workforce). This will make BMW a large vehicle manufacturer in the eyes of the U.S. government from 2012 — one therefore obligated to offer an ecologically compatible car.

The final decision will be made this year. The Germans still haven’t decided whether to go it alone or enter into collaboration with another manufacturer. Considering that BMWs are among the more driver-oriented cars, then a joint venture with someone that is already working on an electric sports car could be a good idea.

And it seems that Tesla could use some help at the moment.

— Colin Ryan

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/uptospeed/

[atr_hugo]

Oh man - they'd really have to bring it out under another brand name. I can see it now, "Tesla, Powered by BMW Engineering"
; -)

[Nixon]

Yea, but what Tesla is looking for is a partner who will build THEIR design, not somebody to take over. They want "Tesla engineering, built to our specifications by our silent partner XXX" Where BMW would be the XXX, if they were the ones to jump on Tesla's latest overtures for forming a partnership.

I think what Tesla really wants is to take over some of the massive amounts of manufacturing floorspace that is being taken off-line as the Big-3 cut their production numbers.

[slipkmaggot]

lol would seem like tesla needs BMW's or anyones help really

[slipkmaggot]

Some new info that came up today: http://www.motorauthority.com/cars/b...-fourth-brand/

"
Since the release of its official strategy back in September, media sources around the world have been speculating that BMW is looking at either launching its own new brand or acquiring one to help its expansion. CEO Norbert Reithofer has now revealed that BMW is establishing a new environmental think-tank dubbed ‘Project i’, whose task it is to develop a number of solutions for a vehicle designed for congested city motoring.

Project i will run independently to BMW and has been given until the middle of the next decade to develop a concrete solution for the city car. “The task of the Project i team is to present specific solutions in the first half of the next decade. Whether this will require a fourth brand or not, will be decided at a later date,” Reithofer told reporters from Auto Motor und Sport.
Reithofer explained that no final decision had been made as to what powertrain the new vehicle will use. “This is why we have decided to focus on a wide range of technological options,” he said. “An electric motor is an option we are looking into. It does not only work at zero-emission level. The technology is now sophisticated enough to offer driving pleasure.”
By the end of this year, Reithofer confirmed that a decision will be made on the drive system and that the decision for a new brand will only be made once the initial designs for the new vehicle is complete."