Let's get this out of the way first: The BMW Active E is currently only available as a lease option.
From the Car and Driver test drive of the Active E:
"Together, the liquid-cooled cells can store 32 kWh of energy. On a 12-amp, 230-volt source (we drove the car in Europe, where 230 is the standard), the pack needs 10 to 12 hours to fully charge. Find a 32-amp source, and that time drops to four or five hours. BMW provided no charge times using 120 volts, but we can tell you from experience with our long-term Nissan Leaf that you won’t want to rely on a toaster circuit to charge your car. We’re not even going to bother telling you that the range according to the spectacularly unrealistic European combined driving cycle is 127 miles—okay, we told you anyway—instead preferring BMW’s estimate, which says that customers should achieve something more like 100."
and related to product availability:
"BMW will start delivering the ActiveE yet in 2011. It will produce 1100 cars, 700 of which are earmarked for the U.S., and former lessees of the MiniE get first dibs. The Mini program, originally intended to last one year, was extended a year and then another six months on top of that to accommodate customers who desired a seamless transition from electric Mini to electric BMW. We imagine many of those who enjoyed their MiniE will do just that—at $2250 down and $499 a month for two years, the ActiveE will command a few grand less than the Mini. (That car started at $850 a month in the first year and then cost $600 per month for the second year; there was no down payment.) Additionally, BMW has timed the end of the ActiveE lease period to coincide with the introduction of the i3, potentially allowing customers a solid four-year lead-in to a full-production electric BMW product."
