According to BMW top execs, the two cars are just the tip of the iceberg. The carmaker is looking forward to launch their all electric vehicle that is expected to go on full production by the first half of this decade. This new electric vehicle will solely depend on the power stored in a battery pack.

BMW codenamed the development as Project Megacity which was driven by the research that kicked off with their Project i back in 2008.

The Project Megacity will be an EV that uses designs that will be specific for use in congested city streets. According to insiders, the production of the 2014 model might begin by the second half of 2013. The car is set to be assembled in the BMW plant in Leipzig, Germany.

The badge of Megacity will be a sub-brand of BMW. There were also speculations that the carmaker planned to use the Isetta name which was all about their mini cars during the 1950’s.

The details about the Megacity Vehicle is very limited since it is still in the development phase. No one can really tell how small it will be but the company hinted that it will be smaller than the current model of the Honda Fit and will take a form of a 3-door hatchback. The car will be made full or partly of carbon fiber to keep its weight down.

BMW is also collaborating with SB-Limotive for the batteries that will power the 125 kW or 170 hp electric motor.

The Kangoo be bop ZE is an improvement of the basic be bop. ZE stands for the zero emissions of the car. At first glance, it looks like it is a twin sibling of the Nissan EV-02 but it can be explained by the collaboration of Renault with the Japanese car maker.

The performance of the be bop ZE is very impressive. Its 60 horsepower engine can maximize the lithium-ion batteries and travel a distance of 100 kilometers or 62 miles in a single charge.

The test drive of the vehicle is limited to the confines of the city where it is also seen as a major contributor in reducing noise and air pollution. Electric vehicles may help make mode of transport a lot cheaper and decrease the dependence to petrol by as much as 90%.

The ZE’s efficiency can also be contributed to its excellent aerodynamic design which gives it lesser drag against the wind. The lines of the design have also combined to make the vehicle a lot smoother plus the fact that it is around 20 mm closer to the ground.

Nothing much has been revealed about the drive train of the vehicle but the battery that will be used for the production units is a product of collaboration between NEC and Nissan. The battery pack is expected to have a guaranteed capacity of 80% to 100% for the first six years of use.

Production of the Renault Kangoo be bop ZE will be by 18 months from now and the manufacturer is set to boost the capability of the car to bring passengers to 100 miles or 160 km in a single charge.

These three efforts are supposed to work towards Volkswagen’s goal this year, which is to produce safe, affordable, and emission-free large-scale electric vehicles. This was reported by Volkswagen’s Chairman of the Board of Management, Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn.

Eventually, Volkswagen will be producing lithium-ion power technology hand-in-hand with Toshiba Corporation. Based on the direction of the three projects, the Volkwagen AG is aiming for long-term plans that are bound to find their own niches in the production of affordable hybrid and electric vehicles a few years from now.

Toshiba is one of the world’s leaders in electronics and battery production, with their recent Super Charge ion Battery (SCiB) lithium-ion batteries. The SCiB is pegged to be used in hybrid and electric cars very soon. The battery line has only recently been commercialized in Japan.

The SCiB was launched last May 2008. Although it was designed primarily to power hybrid cars, this battery line was also chosen by Cannondale Sports Group as a new power module for their new eco-bikes. These electric bicycles are pegged for commercial distribution in European and North American markets.

Toshiba’s SCiB will also be installed in the Tailwind, an electric bicycle also produced by Cannondale Sports Group. This unit will be carrying the brand of Schwinn Bicycles.

The commercial introduction of the tailwind is set early this year. More on Volkswagen at Volkswagen Talk!