The News Wheel
No Comments

Can BMW’s “Thing” Rival Tesla’s Mighty Electric Behemoths?

Decrease Font Size Increase Font Size Text Size Print This Page
Tesla BMW i8 BMW's "Thing" rival

The rivalry between BMW and Tesla is heating up
Photo:Bill Bram Hilgersom via CC

Everyone wants to take down Tesla–and we’re not just talking about auto dealerships indignant over being squeezed out of the equation. What the Toyota Prius has been for hybrid cars the past couple years, Tesla has now become for all electric vehicles. These days, every auto brand is claiming to have a “Tesla killer” in the works to topple Musk’s Goliath.

We’re not surprised to hear rumors BMW also plans on developing a plug-in hybrid to add to its arsenal of stones for its sling.

Information revealed by a tech group inside BMW (sure, we’ll believe this wasn’t a purposefully planted marketing scheme) suggest the automaker is developing a new, powerful, efficient electric vehicle. It’s being called “The Thing,” and no–BMW isn’t producing its own sci-fi horror film set in Antarctica.

Could we see BMW’s “Thing” rivaling Tesla in the near future? It would explain the awkward fiasco between BMW and Tesla last month.

BMW’s “Thing” Rivalry with Tesla Could Make 2015 Interesting

Car and Driver editors say “The Thing” is a 5-series GT Power eDrive with a battery, two electric motors, and a four-cylinder gasoline turbo motor. Clearly, BMW means business.

While little has technically been confirmed about “The Thing,” certain stats have been circulating the web with the assertion they’re reliably accurate. According to sources and postulation by Car and Driver, BMW’s “Thing” could have all-wheel drive, 650 horsepower (combined from all three engines), a range of 373 miles (mostly using only electric battery), and a zero-to-60 sprint in less than five seconds.

The general assumption by industry experts is it’s intended to rival Tesla Motors’ PB5D (an upgrade to the Model S), which recently began delivery. The numbers on Tesla’s new vehicle, after all, are quite similar to the ones being circulated about “The Thing.”

A possible reason so little is known about BMW’s “Thing,” and that an official prototype hasn’t been produced yet, could be because the automaker is putting the drivetrain in an existing vehicle rather than a brand new one in its lineup. Again, merely speculation–but banking on the brand’s already-strong lineup could be a smart movie.

Or, the automaker could just introduce yet another phenomenal model in the electric vehicle market, as it’s been doing.

News Source: Car and Driver