We were in attendance during today’s unveiling of the BMWi i3 & i8 Concepts and are digesting all of the information we obtained. While we gain some composure and put pen to paper or more so in our case fingers to keys- enjoy the photos from the Frankfurt. (Full gallery after the break)

Carbon fiber has been dubbed the material of the future for building vehicles. Whether it be planes or cars, the strength to weight ratio is almost unbeatable. Current market pricing of this high tech material has relegated it to ultra exclusive super cars, race cars and some high end sports cars- ///M models included. Pending legislation makes efficiency the utmost concern for future vehicles, reducing weight plays a significant role in increasing miles per gallon- and since all manufacturers and all cars will need to improve in this area, carbon fiber may finally become more mainstream.

Without this nudge from law makers carbon fiber may have remained exclusive to expensive cars into the foreseeable future due to the limited demand and inability to reach adequite economies of scale. Those factors just would not make it viable for the everyman’s mode of transport, thankfully that is all about to change.

BMW will launch the first installment of the “Mega City Vehicle” under Project-i (as a sub brand believed to be iSetta) to help improve the overall miles per gallon fleet average and help the environment (something BMW has always been at the forefront of). This vehicle will signify a huge leap in terms of production, materials and drive line. BMW is now stating that in 2013 they will bring their first rendition of the MCV to market and usher in the age of electric powered, carbon fiber structured BMW products.

The Megacity Vehicle will be be the first mass produced vehicle to utilize significant quantities of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRP). The use of these high tech materials will substantially reduce its weight and thus improve the overall range of the electric vehicle. The MCV is just the tip of the future of BMW carbon fiber use in vehicles.

BMW recently announced that along with SGL Carbon Fiber SE they will build a state-of-the-art carbon fiber manufacturing plant in Moses Lake, WA. This new plant will be a key component in creating cost effective CFRP for the Mega City vehicle and other BMW group products. Multiple sources indicate, that once complete, this plant will be supplied raw polyacrylonitrile (PAN) produced by SGL and Mitshubishi Rayon in Japan and convert those polyacrylic fibers into the actual carbon fibers.

Those US produced fibers will then be processed into light weight carbon fiber fabrics at a second joint venture site in Wackersdorf, Germany. The fabrics can not be utilized in production vehicles until they are processed even further, this occurs at the BMW Group Plant Landshut, Germany. Landshut produces the CFRP parts and components made from these fabrics. The assembly of the Megacity Vehicle will finally take place at the BMW Group plant in Leipzig, Germany where the current 1 Series and the BMW X1 are being built.

BMW and SGL have only reported on how this new collaboration will yield materials for the MCV, but without taking a huge leap one can imagine the use of more carbon fiber in other vehicles. Would BMW invest hundreds of millions of dollars into factories to supply only one vehicle with carbon fiber? It is highly doubtful. Mercedez Benz recently announced a similar joint venture with Toray Industries to lighten up their 2012 SL a move BMW is likely to take into consideration.

Depending on the completion date of the new factory BMW could use additional carbon fiber in the 3 Series redesign slated for a late 2012 launch or wait until the 2013 refresh of the 1 Coupe and Convertible. The use of some carbon fiber for these vehicles would help ramp up production prior to building an entire vehicle of these materials. We are not sure at this point but BMW being the master of efficiency in production one can see the writing on the wall that Carbon Fiber is on its way to mainstream vehicles. BMW is paving the carbon fiber way- who needs aluminum when there is carbon fiber!

The one thing to note is the vast distance the carbon fiber must travel- It starts the journey in Japan, followed by a stop over in the US to finally be moved around Germany. This seems like a large distance to move raw materials to be cost effective, the one benefit is that it hedges currency fluctuations by using three separate economies. This keeps things diversified and hedges a bit but there is also a large possibility that BMW/SGL could sell the raw carbon fiber to other US based manufacturers- most notably Boeing to more easily reach economies of scale and further reduce the cost of the materials for their vehicles.

This is a very exciting time as the future is going on a diet, something we have all desired for the past half decade or so, now only if the American public could do the same thing!

Anyone else noticing that some of these new models are becoming JOY’s to drive, rather than the “Ultimate Driving Machine”? Could we be seeing a split marketing campaign depending on the driving prowess of the vehicle?

According to BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer (as interviewed by Car and Driver) the BMW brand will be launching it’s Project i variant by 2012. As we’ve reported previously the car will be available with all electric, hybrid, petrol and diesel powerplants. The car will be aimed for worldwide markets but will be designed with an eye towards the US market and California’s new Zero-Emission-Vehicle (ZEV) requirements that call for large-volume manufacturers to sell ZEVs by 2012.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

Styling will be BMW-like, with short overhangs, a wide track, and a low roofline. Electricity will be stored in a water-cooled lithium-ion battery pack that is expected to provide a 100-mile range. Other versions of the City will get a gas or diesel engine and are being developed for Asian markets, particularly China. It hasn’t been decided whether the electric City will be badged as a Mini or a BMW. Reithofer also hinted that it may get a new name. BMW holds the rights to Riley and Triumph, but considering the reputation of electrical systems in British cars, redeploying those old names probably isn’t the best idea.

Interestingly we’ve been told my high-level sources that the City will not be branded as a MINI – at least not in the US market. Additionally we’ve been told that this car will be not aimed towards the enthusiast but rather someone who wants a premium fuel efficient car with loads of style and technology.

+ 2012/2013 BMW City / Car and Driver