SINGAPORE - German carmaker BMW and the Nanyang Technological University have expanded their joint research into electro-mobility.

Both parties are injecting $1.3 million more into their efforts to find, among other things, better batteries for electric vehicles.

This is on top of the $5.5 million committed when their joint project started in 2013.

The latest effort involves the supply of two BMWs - an i3 and i8.

The latter will be the costliest car to wear a research plate. The $600,000 car is exempt from registration fees and COE.