BMW Created The First Electrified Wingsuit In The World - Reaches 186 Mph On Its First Flight

BMW believed it could fly, and it has now proven it. The German manufacturer recently sent air sports pioneer Peter Salzmann soaring through the sky at up to 186 mph in a newly developed electric wingsuit.

BMW, Designworks, and Salzmann collaborated on the innovative concept. The idea came to the professional skydiver and BASE jumper while he was thinking about ways to improve his performance in the air. 

“One of them was a supporting motor—and it’s an idea I just couldn’t shake,” Salzmann told BMW. “I found the idea of being able to jump from my local mountain wearing the wingsuit and land in my garden fascinating.”

After three years of intensive research and countless test flights in BMW's horizontal wind tunnel, Salzmann and the wingsuit flew for the first time last week over Austria's picturesque mountains.

The 33-year-old was dropped from a helicopter at just under 10,000 feet, along with two other fliers wearing traditional wingsuits. According to BMW, the electric wingsuit allowed Salzmann to accelerate faster than his teammates, reaching a top speed of 186 mph. (Typical wingsuit operators reach horizontal speeds of around 62 mph.)

The e-wingsuit is powered by a chest-mounted rig and is based on BMW I EV technology. It generates 15 kW of power, which is split between two 7.5 kW carbon impellers. The impellers spin at 25,000 rpm and produce thrust for up to five minutes.

The wingsuit was unveiled as part of BMW's #NEXTGen 2020 event, which offers a unique glimpse into the future of mobility. BMW will show off a slew of new technologies as well as the new iNext electric crossover.