The BMW i3 is a futuristic looking vehicle that has brought some of BMW's innovative technologies to the forefront. What some don't know, is that there were two rounds of test mules via the Mini E and the ActiveE that came before it—but those weren't the first electric BMWs.
In 1972, BMW launched the 1602e just before the Summer Olympics in Munich. The car was used as a transport vehicle for the Olympic committee, as a camera car, and as a lead vehicle for the long distance running races. The battery that powered it was a 12 volt lead-acid battery that weighed almost 800 pounds! The range was just under 40 miles, thus it was not ideal to become a production vehicle. Enjoy this short video that BMW released that goes into a little more detail about the history of the 1602e.—Nate Risch
