Saw this article from someone who has visited the Leipzig (i3) Factory.
It’s in German .... so here is a Google translation.
Interestingly it addresses one of my questions .... how do you repair a Carbon Fibre car.
http://www.tagesspiegel.de/wirtschaft/bmw-demonstration-in-leipzig/8085410.html
"It rattles no plate, there are no sparks fly almost silently, the heavy robot arms move in their production boxes. As if by magic, the intelligent machines add black body parts together. Few workers are seen. It smells like plastic.
At first glance, the 200-meter production hall of the Leipzig BMW plant acts like a normal car factory. But the work of the 160 robots i3 establish the existing carbon bodywork of the BMW electric cars, already indicates that something is different. In Leipzig, the "place of 2013 will play a central role for BMW," as COO Harald Krüger says you can take a look into the future.
Where are pressed and welded steel sheets in conventional factories, carbon fibers are formed into parts and glued in Leipzig. "We are revolutionizing the automotive industry," somewhat high gripped the Kruger formulated claim of the Bavarian automobile company.
In autumn comes the result of this revolution - the electric BMW i3 - on the market. A few months later to follow the battery-powered supercar i8, for already 30 more robots are reserved in the hall. For the first time presented a German car manufacturer with the compact i3 a completely newly developed, suitable for everyday use electric car which is to a large extent from the ultra-lightweight carbon material (CFRP). An exact date for the start called BMW i3 is not even any numbers or a price. Of at least 40,000 Euros is the question.
Even with the BMWi Innovation Days, at which the Group has invited to Leipzig, everything is visible - only the final product is not innovative. There have been studies, prototypes and production-based models, the dramaturgy for the presentation of the finished cars, BMW reserves for the coming months ago. Could also drive the car a few BMW employees. "A dream," says Harald Krüger. "Lively, agile -. A real BMW" The new i-class needs to be a success, it is worth the investment for BMW. 655 million euros, the Group has invested in the CFRP production chain, and the development and production at the Leipzig, Dingolfing and Landshut. The extremely complicated production of CFRP parts BMW organized together with SGL Carbon. It begins in the joint venture, California, and extends beyond the BMW plants in Wackersdorf and Landshut to final production in Leipzig. 400 million euros will go alone, designed by star architect Zaha Hadid plant in Saxony, which was opened in 2005. Currently 6000 employees are producing X1 and 1 Series models, in addition to the electric car production will be created 800 jobs.
Because no conventional stamping plant, a conventional body paint shop or body memory are necessary for the production of the i-class infrastructure investments were lower than in a normal car factory. BMW took the extra money in hand to make the production site to an example of sustainability. Thus, four 140-meter high wind turbines will supply the plant with electricity. The delivered from California CFRP, whose production is energy-intensive, there is made with 100 percent water power. 80 percent of the i3 built-in aluminum are recycled or produced with erneuerbarere energy.
And that will eventually pay for it all: "We expect that we will earn from the series starting with any BMW i3 money", is COO Kruger optimistic. Also the battery is "not as costly as is often assumed." BMW manufactures the 230 kg heavy high-voltage battery with an energy content of 22 kilowatt hours of itself, the cells are derived from the Korean partner Samsung. One reason for the cost savings in battery: Carbon weighs only half as much as steel and is 30 percent lighter than aluminum. The i3 saves 250 to 350 kilos compared to an electric car made of steel. Therefore, the battery must not be as strong to provide for a range of cars of 130 to 150 kilometers.
Before going into the i3 series, will be produced in Leipzig for the pre-series. About 100 i3-test vehicles have run over the past year and a half from the band, only to be subjected to tests: heat in the desert, cold in Scandinavia, long-term performance in China, paint and material testing - and some 100 crash tests. "All this takes forever," says Ralf Brüggemann, head of the body shop. For a year, the engineers have worked alone on the glue that holds together the CFRP parts and must harden quickly and reliably. "In an i3 located 160 meters glued seam," said Brueggemann.
A topic that confused potential customers, the safety of electric cars. "Lightweight and security are not mutually exclusive," says development engineer Nils Borchers. In 30 crash scenarios his team has the i3 to the real thing exposed. "The CFRP passenger cell always remained untouched." The compact car, protected under the floor sits the battery, is as safe as a 1 Series or BMW 3 Series. Hardly comparable with conventional cars, however, is the repair. Dents are in the Carboniferous-housing non - tear material. To fix it, parts are cut out and replaced. "As if you cut wood," says Borschers colleague Wolfgang slope. The method is expensive. The outer skin is, however, from the i3 plastic parts that are "clicked" or screwed to the frame. This saves costs. Bottom line, should the repair cost of the i3 at the level of 1-BMWliegen. "This is important for the calculation of insurance rates," said Hang. The financial industry has been working on electric cars still little."
It’s in German .... so here is a Google translation.
Interestingly it addresses one of my questions .... how do you repair a Carbon Fibre car.
http://www.tagesspiegel.de/wirtschaft/bmw-demonstration-in-leipzig/8085410.html
"It rattles no plate, there are no sparks fly almost silently, the heavy robot arms move in their production boxes. As if by magic, the intelligent machines add black body parts together. Few workers are seen. It smells like plastic.
At first glance, the 200-meter production hall of the Leipzig BMW plant acts like a normal car factory. But the work of the 160 robots i3 establish the existing carbon bodywork of the BMW electric cars, already indicates that something is different. In Leipzig, the "place of 2013 will play a central role for BMW," as COO Harald Krüger says you can take a look into the future.
Where are pressed and welded steel sheets in conventional factories, carbon fibers are formed into parts and glued in Leipzig. "We are revolutionizing the automotive industry," somewhat high gripped the Kruger formulated claim of the Bavarian automobile company.
In autumn comes the result of this revolution - the electric BMW i3 - on the market. A few months later to follow the battery-powered supercar i8, for already 30 more robots are reserved in the hall. For the first time presented a German car manufacturer with the compact i3 a completely newly developed, suitable for everyday use electric car which is to a large extent from the ultra-lightweight carbon material (CFRP). An exact date for the start called BMW i3 is not even any numbers or a price. Of at least 40,000 Euros is the question.
Even with the BMWi Innovation Days, at which the Group has invited to Leipzig, everything is visible - only the final product is not innovative. There have been studies, prototypes and production-based models, the dramaturgy for the presentation of the finished cars, BMW reserves for the coming months ago. Could also drive the car a few BMW employees. "A dream," says Harald Krüger. "Lively, agile -. A real BMW" The new i-class needs to be a success, it is worth the investment for BMW. 655 million euros, the Group has invested in the CFRP production chain, and the development and production at the Leipzig, Dingolfing and Landshut. The extremely complicated production of CFRP parts BMW organized together with SGL Carbon. It begins in the joint venture, California, and extends beyond the BMW plants in Wackersdorf and Landshut to final production in Leipzig. 400 million euros will go alone, designed by star architect Zaha Hadid plant in Saxony, which was opened in 2005. Currently 6000 employees are producing X1 and 1 Series models, in addition to the electric car production will be created 800 jobs.
Because no conventional stamping plant, a conventional body paint shop or body memory are necessary for the production of the i-class infrastructure investments were lower than in a normal car factory. BMW took the extra money in hand to make the production site to an example of sustainability. Thus, four 140-meter high wind turbines will supply the plant with electricity. The delivered from California CFRP, whose production is energy-intensive, there is made with 100 percent water power. 80 percent of the i3 built-in aluminum are recycled or produced with erneuerbarere energy.
And that will eventually pay for it all: "We expect that we will earn from the series starting with any BMW i3 money", is COO Kruger optimistic. Also the battery is "not as costly as is often assumed." BMW manufactures the 230 kg heavy high-voltage battery with an energy content of 22 kilowatt hours of itself, the cells are derived from the Korean partner Samsung. One reason for the cost savings in battery: Carbon weighs only half as much as steel and is 30 percent lighter than aluminum. The i3 saves 250 to 350 kilos compared to an electric car made of steel. Therefore, the battery must not be as strong to provide for a range of cars of 130 to 150 kilometers.
Before going into the i3 series, will be produced in Leipzig for the pre-series. About 100 i3-test vehicles have run over the past year and a half from the band, only to be subjected to tests: heat in the desert, cold in Scandinavia, long-term performance in China, paint and material testing - and some 100 crash tests. "All this takes forever," says Ralf Brüggemann, head of the body shop. For a year, the engineers have worked alone on the glue that holds together the CFRP parts and must harden quickly and reliably. "In an i3 located 160 meters glued seam," said Brueggemann.
A topic that confused potential customers, the safety of electric cars. "Lightweight and security are not mutually exclusive," says development engineer Nils Borchers. In 30 crash scenarios his team has the i3 to the real thing exposed. "The CFRP passenger cell always remained untouched." The compact car, protected under the floor sits the battery, is as safe as a 1 Series or BMW 3 Series. Hardly comparable with conventional cars, however, is the repair. Dents are in the Carboniferous-housing non - tear material. To fix it, parts are cut out and replaced. "As if you cut wood," says Borschers colleague Wolfgang slope. The method is expensive. The outer skin is, however, from the i3 plastic parts that are "clicked" or screwed to the frame. This saves costs. Bottom line, should the repair cost of the i3 at the level of 1-BMWliegen. "This is important for the calculation of insurance rates," said Hang. The financial industry has been working on electric cars still little."
