Double Olympic champion Katarina Witt tests the “BMW C evolution” zero-emission electric scooter. 40 years after the Munich Games in 1972: BMW Group Olympic Ambassador visits Deutsches Haus.

London, (August 3, 2012)-

Double Olympic champion Katarina Witt tests the “BMW C evolution” zero-emission electric scooter.

The Summer Olympic Games in London are currently thrilling the international public – just as the Munich Games did with their unique atmosphere 40 years ago. To mark the 40th anniversary of the Munich Olympics, BMW Group Olympic Ambassador Katarina Witt was invited to a Munich ’72 theme evening at the Deutsches Haus (German house) in London on Thursday.

The double Olympic figure skating champion took the opportunity to test the BMW C evolution as a passenger on the production-based prototype of a powerful electric scooter. The smart two-seater is currently being presented to the international press in London. The motto of the 2012 Olympic Games – Inspire a Generation – could almost have been written for the innovative scooter, which is the latest result of the BMW Group’s sustainability and future strategy.

“The BMW C evolution not only looks cool, but also features cutting-edge technology,” said Witt. “With this electric scooter, BMW is once again demonstrating its high levels of innovation. The BMW Group was involved in the marathon and walking races at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich with the BMW 1602 electric car. As such, today’s anniversary event sees the issue of environmentalism come full circle.”

Five fully roadworthy prototypes of the BMW C evolution will be put to the test in the London traffic until 12th August. This will be followed by outings in other major European cities. The practical experience gained will allow BMW Motorrad to prepare for the future launch of the production vehicle.

The BMW Group, the most sustainable automobile manufacturer in the world, is the Automobile Partner of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games in London, where it is providing about 4,000 low-emission vehicles for athletes, officials and the organisation team.

The BMW Group Olympic Ambassador was joined at the “40 Years on from the Munich Games” celebration at the Deutsches Haus by Bavarian minister for economic affairs Martin Zeil, Munich’s second mayoress Christine Strobl, honorary member of the National Olympic Committee Walter Tröger and Michael Vesper, Chef de Mission of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) team in London.

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Background information on the BMW C evolution.

The “BMW C evolution” electric scooter is powered by an air-cooled high-voltage battery with a capacity of 8 kWh and guarantees a range of 100 kilometres in commuter traffic. It takes about three hours to recharge the completely empty lithium-ion storage module via a power socket. Energy is recovered when the rider stops accelerating and when braking, which increases the range by 10 to 20 per cent. This makes the “BMW C evolution” an environmentally friendly form of transport and underlines the efforts being made at BMW Motorrad to sustainably combine environmental protection with efficiency. When developing this technology, the engineers benefit from the experience of their colleagues in the BMW automobile division, which has been implementing similar systems for years as part of its EfficientDynamics sustainability programme.

The BMW Group
The BMW Group is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the world with its BMW, MINI, Husqvarna Motorcycles and Rolls-Royce brands. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 29 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries. In 2011, the BMW Group sold about 1.67 million cars and more than 113,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial year 2011 was euro 7.38 billion on revenues amounting to euro 68.82 billion. At 31 December 2011, the BMW Group had a workforce of approximately 100,000 employees. The success of the BMW Group has always been built on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy. As a result of its efforts, the BMW Group has been ranked industry leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes for the last seven years.

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