Tag: BMW i3

Early last month BMW Australia took delivery of a pre-production all-electric i3 city car. It’s been touring the country since and was in Canberra this week so I went along to take a look. Unfortunately there was no opportunity to drive the car, or be taken for a drive, so I had to make do with poking and prodding BMW’s first e-car.

The first thing you notice is that the i3 is much bigger than you might expect it to be. This is obvious when you’re alongside it, but also clear when parked in a showroom next to a 4 Series Coupe and an X6, with 3 Series models close by as well.

The i3 is quite tall, thanks mostly to its batteries sitting beneath the cabin floor. This also means the seating position is quite high and you need to step into the cabin with more thought than you would when climbing into a 1 Series or 3 Series, for example.

Inside the i3 you’re greeted at first by a light and pleasant cabin. There’s an immediate premium feel and the timber paneling actually works quite well. On closer inspection, though, there’s quite a lot of sub-premium plastic and felted paneling used (mostly around the doors and behind the dash). From a purely visual point of view these materials don’t stand out, but looking at the scuff marks on the driver’s door sill it doesn’t look as though they will wear well over long-term ownership.

Outside, the i3 does well to look like a BMW, while at the same time looking like nothing else in the model range. There’s a few oddities, like suicide rear doors and the boot is quite small. It is a city runabout, after all. The tyres are sure to be expensive to replace; I can’t imagine 175/60/19s to be very popular at your local tyre outlet.

We’re still around 12 months away from seeing the i3 offered for sale in Australia and you’ll need to be prepared for a price range that won’t be scared of giving $70K a nudge; or beyond if you’re keen with the options.

All in all, though, it’s great to see a company like BMW bringing all-electric vehicles to the premium segment. In real terms such models are still some way from making a significant market impact, but you have to start somewhere and on this inspection the i3 looks to be a pretty good starting point.

After an early unofficial preview, here is the BMW i3, Munich’s first all-electric city, now car ready for daily duties. It’s the first model in BMW’s i generation, which will also see the i8 sportscar revealed in time.

The i3 was revealed simultaneously at launch events in Beijing, London and New York. Speaking at the New York premiere Norbert Reithofer, BMW Chairman, said: “Innovation drives change. The i3 is more than just a car. It’s a revolutionary step towards sustainable mobility. It is purpose-built around an electric power train to serve the needs of our megacity customers.”

Powered by a lithium-ion battery the i3 produces 125kW/250Nm and can reach 100km/h in 7.2 seconds, top speed is limited to 150km/h. BMW reckons with normal use the four-seat i3 has a range of 130–160km. When driven in its most efficient Eco Pro+ mode the predicted range is 200km.

A 25kW two-cylinder 650cc petrol engine “range extender” is available as an option and increases the claimed maximum distance available in everyday driving to 300km.

Through the use of carbon fibre body panels, along with a carbon fibre passenger cell mated to an aluminium chassis, the i3 weighs in at a relatively lightweight 1195kg.

The i3 is fitted with a tailored version of BMW ConnectedDrive functionality and has a SIM card included, BMW says it’s the “world’s first fully networked electrically powered car.” With the BMW i Remote app you can use your smartphone to check on your i3’s battery status, remotely activate on board systems such as the air conditioning (while charging), send navigation information to the car and more.

Deliveries will commence in Germany and selected European countries from November, with China, Japan, USA and other markets to follow in the first half of 2014. There’s no official word yet on plans for an Australian release, although it’s expected to be on sale mid mid-next year. Expect to pay around $50,000 for your first BMWi experience.