living | RIDE
BMW’S PREMIUM EVS AND HYBRIDS EXCITEMENT AT BOTH ENDS OF THE PRICE SPECTRUM
I
STORY | TONY WHITNEY
t i s a n e x c i t i n g t i m e i n t h e w o r l d o f e l e c t r i c v e h i c l e s ( EV s ) and hybrids, with automakers worldwide working to bring to the market new models at every possible price point. Activity has been especially frantic at the premium end of the industry, with
megalux nameplates like Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, Ferrari and others all busy developing new models to meet expected demand.
We look at two new premium models at diverse price points, one of which is on the
market, and the other to be unveiled soon. The all-electric Mini Cooper SE combines compact size with an approachable price tag, while the BMW Vision M NEXT hybrid ticks all the boxes for sports supercar buyers, and will be priced accordingly. The Mini was a brilliant re-creation of a sixties icon and a huge success from the start. After many spin-offs, an EV variant was inevitable, and it is arriving this year with an under $40,000 price tag — quite accessible given its place at the premium end of the small car market. Like other EVs, it’s eligible for federal and provincial zero-emission vehicle grants.
THE BMW VISION M NEXT HYBRID MODEL WOULD SURELY GET A NOD FROM JAMES BOND HIMSELF
>
