Is BMW developing an electric car on the sly? Motor Trend reports that despite no official word from Munich, BMW is apparently poised to join the "zero emissions minicar conga line." Rumors persist that the company will have an electric vehicle ready to go for California's 2012 mandate for producing zero-emissions vehicles—as well as keep pace with Audi, who is also working on an electric car of their own.

Because BMW's market share in the U.S. is relatively small to begin with, the report said, it won't need to build too many examples in order to meet the mandate. Unnamed sources are quoted as saying that BMW has chosen to develop the car alone rather than with a partner, and that the automaker may base its new minicar on Magna Steyr's MILA Alpin Concept (pictured at top)—which was shown earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show—to "save money and speed up development."

(Image credit: Motor Trend)