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BMW Created the Most Efficient Electric Car In the US

cartechboy (2660665) writes "You think of efficient electric car and you probably think of the Tesla Model S, right? Well, you'd be wrong as the Model S is only rated at 89 MPGe. As of today, BMW now has the most efficient electric car sold in the U.S., the 2014 i3. The ratings were just posted to the Internet via a window sticker, and at 124 MPGe combined (138 MPGe city, 111 MPGe highway), the i3 is currently king of the efficiency race. The nearest competitor? The 2013 Scion iQ-EV with a 38 mile range and 121 MPGe rating, but it's not even available to the general public. Other competitors are mostly compliance cars such as the Chevrolet Spark EV and Fiat 500e. So where does that leave us? Well, BMW just won the race, for now. But how long until a competitor takes away that top spot?"

3 of 258 comments (clear)

  1. Range is the issue by stewsters · · Score: 5, Informative

    Most of the power is going to hauling a battery around.

    Tesla s has 265 mile range
    i3 has 81 mile range
    Scion iQ-EV has 38 mile range

    I would be curious to see how the numbers hold up if they all were designed for the same range.

  2. Re:Efficiency doesn't matter... by fnj · · Score: 5, Informative

    Efficiency doesn't matter for an electric car that can be powered for FREE by the sun

    Completely naive fail. Apparatus to convert that sunlight to electric power costs money and has to be depreciated. Not only is photovoltaic power not free; its cost ($130 / MWh) is higher than natural gas ($64 to $128 / MWh), coal ($96 / MWh) or advanced nuclear ($96 / MWh). Those estimates for systems coming on line in 2019, so they are not based on obsolete data. Solar thermal is even worse ($243 / nMWh).

  3. Re:What is MPGe supposed to mean? by Noah+Haders · · Score: 5, Informative

    The exact opposite of true. It's just a measure of energy. 33.7 kWh is about 120mj, which is the same as a gallon if gas.