The London Organizing Committee for the 2012 Olympics issued a challenge to official automotive sponsor BMW—provide a vehicle fleet that emits an average 120 grams of carbon per kilometer traveled, a full 18 grams less than the mean produced by the rest of the cars in Britain.
The task demanded that zero-emission electric vehicles (EVs) be part of the picture for the company, which is providing 4,000 cars for the event that runs from July 27 to August 12.
And BMW—which has already begun plugging in its fleet—says that 200 of the cars will indeed be electric, including 160 flagship 1-Series ActiveEs and 40 Mini E two-seaters. Clean diesels and a 5-Series hybrid will make up the rest of the automobiles. There are motorcycles and 400 bicycles, too.