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BMW i3 EV revealed. It’s clever, but it’s not exactly pretty

The BMW i3 electric city car (pictured) has been officially revealed The BMW i3 – the first of BMW’s production ‘i’ electric cars – has finally been revealed at events in London, New York and Beijing as BMW plots its course to bring a premium electric city car to the world. Looking much like the original Mega City Concept, the i3 debuts a number of innovations from BMW – which are very clever – but it also debuts perhaps the worst looking BMW we’ve ever seen, with its incongruous lines, bulging bonnet, odd shapes on the flanks and slab-backed rear view. But what underpins the i3 is clever indeed, with a lightweight inner body made from carbon fibre and carbon fibre reinforced body panels providing the skin, all conspiring to make the i3 light – 1195kg, despite 25 per cent or so of that being batteries – and very rigid.

Best and worst states for car insurance prices

Drivers in Louisiana and Michigan are hit hardest when it comes to car insurance premiums, while those in Maine and Iowa pay the least, according to here. Ten most expensive states (average annual premium) -- Louisiana: $2,699 -- Michigan: $2,520 -- Georgia: $2,155 -- Oklahoma: $2,074 -- Washington, D.C.: $2,006 -- Montana: $1,914 -- California: $1,819 -- West Virginia: $1,816 -- Rhode Island: $1,735 -- Kentucky: $1,725 Ten least expensive states: -- Maine: $934 -- Iowa: $1,028 -- North Carolina: $1,085 -- Ohio: $1,106 -- New Hampshire: $1,112 -- Idaho: $1,133 -- Vermont: $1,176 -- Indiana: $1,183 -- Washington: $1,226 -- Arizona: $1,227

Councils make £594m from parking

RECORD SURPLUSES from parking revenues have been achieved by councils, according to the RAC Foundation. In 2012/13 councils in England generated a combined "profit" of £594 million from their on and off-street parking operations, the foundation said. This was a 5% increase on the figure of £565 million for 2011/12, and just 52 of the 353 parking authorities in England reported a deficit in 2012/13.