BMW Vision Driving Experience concept The BMW Vision Driving Experience concept previews the Neue Klasse EV family. Picture: Supplied
Image: Supplied
BMW will launch its first ‘Neue Klasse’ electric vehicle later in 2025, taking the form of a sedan similar in size to the 3-Series.
This sports sedan was initially previewed by the Vision Neue Klasse concept of late 2023, and now BMW is showing us an evolution of this with the BMW Vision Driving Experience, presented this week.
Although not specifically slated for production, it is essentially a rolling test rig for the powerful computing system that will regulate the driving experience of the upcoming Neue Klasse vehicles - and BMW refers to it as the “Heart of Joy”.
These all-electric products will be built around a brand new architecture, while the traditional internal combustion models continue on the current CLAR platform.
The new concept has illuminated wheels. Picture: Supplied The new concept has illuminated wheels. Picture: Supplied
Image: Supplied
Interestingly, the concept car also has illuminated wheels - will this ever turn into a trend? The wheel illumination changes colour, displaying a green hue under acceleration, blue during energy recuperation and orange during conventional braking.
But what can we expect from the Heart of Joy?
BMW says this new control unit for the drivetrain, steering, brakes, charging and recuperation systems can process information ten times faster than previous systems.
“Working in tandem with the BMW Dynamic Performance Control software, the Heart of Joy computes all the driving dynamics functions with a whole new level of speed and precision,” BMW said.
Its innovative control functions are currently protected by several patent applications.
The carmaker claims its Heart of Joy system will allow its cars to be thrown through corners with exceptional precision.
“Fewer control inputs are required and the car’s line can be maintained with greater precision and stability. This helps the car to develop consistent, reproducible cornering behaviour and allows it to be steered more intuitively and smoothly,” BMW said.
It also promises a better driving experience at lower speeds, with the Active Cruise Control, with stopping and restarting functions merging seamlessly into one another.
The company also claims to have improved the efficiency of the braking recuperation system by up to 25%.
A total of four new ‘super-brains’ will feature in BMW’s Neue Klasse cars, brought together within a single high-performance computer.
IOL
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