What is an electronaut you may ask?
Electronauts, a term recently dubbed by BMW, are adventurers and explorers; they are front-runners of innovation and advocates for sustainability, but most importantly, they are key participants in the BMW ActiveE Field Trial.
Beginning in early 2012 and taking place in the U.S., Europe and China, the BMW ActiveE Field Trial will include more than 1,100 BMW ActiveE vehicles—an electric vehicle based on a BMW 1 Series Coupe that uses the drive train and battery technology that will be used in the i3—produced at BMW’s plant in Leipzig, Germany. (Story continues after images)
On Friday, January 20, BMW began the recruitment process for the North American metropolitan markets of Boston, Hartford, New York, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, and San Francisco. The BMW ActiveE is available by lease only at a cost of $499 per month for 24 months with a down payment of $2,250.
Electric vehicle (EV) enthusiasts interested in leasing the BMW ActiveE can begin the recruitment process at www.bmwusa.com/ActiveE. Vehicles are available on a first come, first served basis.
These field trials will provide direct insight into electric mobility in advance of series production of BMW’s first mass-produced electric vehicles, the BMW i3 in 2013 and the i8 in 2014. Concepts of the i3 and i8—the first two vehicles from the new BMW i brand—made their official North American debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 16 and 17, 2011.
