BMW Launches the "Electronaut Effect," a New Digital Tool Offering Drivers Real-Life Data on BMW ActiveE Driving Performance and Benefits

Drivers of 700 ActiveE Vehicles Have Collectively Driven 6.1 Million Miles, Saved Over 275,000 Gallons of Gas and More Than $740,000

Woodcliff Lake, NJ - April 11, 2013… BMW today launched the Electronaut Effect, a new digital tool that gives consumers access to key aggregated data about the range, cost savings and positive environmental impact that actual BMW ActiveE drivers – called “Electronauts” – are experiencing across the country. This unfiltered information, updated weekly, will help inform consumers’ decision about purchasing an electric vehicle.

The Electronaut Effect at www.bmwusa.com/ElectronautEffect features aggregate car data for the 700 BMW ActiveEs – the first fully-electric BMWs – and their drivers, participating in the BMW ActiveE Field Trial that began January 2012. This streamlined data is presented in three basic categories: Range (i.e., most miles driven in one day), Savings (i.e., total money saved), and Environment (i.e., gallons of gas not used).

As of today, Electronauts have driven approximately 6.1 million miles; the most miles driven in one day by a single Electronaut was 367.7. These ActiveE drivers have already saved more than $740,000 collectively by driving the all-electric cars (calculated by subtracting the money they spent on charging, from the amount they did not spend on gas). Together, they have saved well over 275,000 gallons of gas.

“The Electronaut Effect is an exciting tool because it offers consumers unvarnished, hard data on the driving performance of our fleet of ActiveE vehicles, providing a very accurate picture of the BMW electric vehicle experience and the benefits of all-electric driving,” said Jacob Harb, head of Electric Vehicle Operations and Strategy, BMW of North America. “This is an important, new resource to help drivers considering an electric vehicle purchase make informed decisions.”

The 700 Electronauts, meanwhile, will have access to a related tool, available at www.BMWActivateTheFuture.com that offers a detailed, more in-depth look at data specific to their BMW ActiveE, as well as to the entire fleet. Electronauts can see the average number of times he or she charges their ActiveE per day, average remaining charge at the end of the day, and their personal reduction in driving-related carbon footprint. Electronauts may also choose to opt into a “Current Standings” section that lets them compare select statistics to those of other Electronauts. They can view the top 25 Electronauts in the U.S. for select data points and can see their current ranks for these statistics. Or they can compare West Coast vs. East Coast driving data, such as total miles driven by coast.

Non-Electronauts who visit the www.BMWActivateTheFuture.com site will be able to view the aggregate version of this more in-depth data.



BMW Group In America

BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group’s global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 and X3 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sports Activity Coupes. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 139 BMW motorcycle retailers, 116 MINI passenger car dealers, and 34 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet at: www.bmwgroupna.com


Journalist note: Information about BMW Group and its products in the USA is available to journalists on-line at www.bmwgroupusanews.com and www.press.bmwna.com.




Please Note


To the extent that historical press releases reference BMW Manufacturing Co. LLC as the manufacturer of certain X model vehicles, the referenced vehicles are manufactured in South Carolina with a combination of U.S origin and imported parts and components.