Long before BMW i, the Bavarian automaker was looking into the potential of electric vehicles. BMW produced its first EV in 1972, when the 1602e was unveiled.
Although it never made it to production and remained just an experimental car, it had a huge impact on the brand’s future. Based on the BMW 02 series, the 1602e was aimed at studying the electric drivetrain’s potential for daily driving.
The vehicle featured normal 12-volt batteries as an energy source. The 12 batteries were linked together to form one large battery cell which supplied energy to an electric motor built by Bosch.
BMW only built two of these experimental vehicles, which were used and tested in complete secrecy, until the official presentation at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. While the car never led to a production model, it helped BMW understand better EVs and finally launch one in the form of the BMW i3.