The BMW i3's production just started in Leipzig. That means industrial-scale manufacture of CFRP has made its debut in the car industry. Carbon cars for $41,350 instead of a million dollars.
You know exactly how it works, and also got an idea what it's like on the inside. But looking at these production photos makes it easier to understand what the fuss is all about.
BMW invested more than $500 million in their Leipzig plant alone in new machinery for the production of BMW i models, creating 800 new jobs in the process. Together with the joint venture facilities at Moses Lake in the USA and Wackersdorf, Landshut and Dingolfing in Germany, the sum goes up to $800 million, and 1500 new jobs.
But the big news is obviously that since the body structure of the BMW i3 consists entirely of carbon fiber. By industrializing the manufacturing process, BMW has become the first company to make its use in vehicle production economically viable. Volume production of CFRP is something Volkswagen would love to start too, but they're not there yet.
Like the idea or not, the i3 is something new. Check out how it's made:
Can't wait to drive this oddball.