Though the BMW i3 is the German automaker's first commercially available EV, it isn't the brand's first ever. That distinction belongs to the experimental 1602e, an all-electric vehicle that ...

That's a first impression of one cherry-looking experimental electric vehicle from BMW from way back in the day. Or at least from someone who for a time drove a '74 2002. A gas-powered one, that is.

BMW’s first electric car, a 1602 with its engine swapped for an array of batteries, in this case ordinary 12-volt car batteries, made its debut at the 1972 Olympic Games held in the automaker ...

The 1602e version had a 350 Kg (771.6 lbs) 12 V lead-acid battery ‘under the bonnet’ and a claimed autonomy of approximately 60 km (37 miles) which was less than ideal for a series production.

BMW Without the 1602e, it's possible that BMW wouldn't be where it is today with innovative electric cars like the i3 or the i8. Let's take a look back at it all started.

BMW used 12 normal 12V car batteries in the 1602, but they were all combined to function as a single, massive cell. Combined, the batteries weighed 771 lbs. Lightweight lithium-Ion battery tech that’s ...

BMW produced its first EV in 1972, when the 1602e was unveiled. Although it never made it to production and remained just an experimental car, it had a huge impact on the brand’s future.

Interested in the BMW i3 electric car? Everything you need to know is in our updated Ultimate Guide. Or, for something more retro, check out BMW's first electric car, the 1602e from 1972.

And it all started with a boxy orange model, the 1602e developed 43 years ago, in 1972. MORE: BMW Celebrates 40 Years Of Electric Cars, From 1602 To i3 (Dec 2012) ...