The surprising history of BMW's electric cars

BMW

BMW has been researching and testing electric cars for over 40 years.

Each electric car BMW tested over that period of time can be looked at as a stepping stone toward the impressive electric cars the company sells today.

Take a look back at where BMW's modern electric cars come from:

BMW's first major step into the world of electric cars came in 1972 with the 1602e.

The car was used at the 1972 Olympics in Munich. It led a pack of long-distance runners.

The electric car was optimal for this job because the lack of an internal combustion motor meant that the runners wouldn't have to inhale a ton of fumes.

The 1602e used 12 12 volt batteries. Combined, they weighed in at an alarming 771 lbs.

Because the car could only travel 37 miles on one charge, the overall project isn't considered to be a massive success.

In 1975, BMW started working on another secret project car. The LS Electric.

The LS Electric used 10 lead-acid batteries, had the ability to be charged fully in 14 hours, and even had a heated windshield and heated rear window.

But it only had a top speed of 40 MPH and a range of less than 19 miles.

That would cause a lot of range anxiety.