BMW i3 prototype first drive review

This all helps the i3 dash from 0-37mph in 3.8sec and 0-62mph in 7.2sec. Top speed is limited to 93mph, at which the engine is pulling a maximum 11,400rpm, to protect the state of battery charge and subsequently its range.

The new i3 offers a range of up to 118 miles on the European test cycle, although BMW’s own projections are less optimistic at 81 miles in wintery conditions and 100 miles in the summer. Still, they are well within the 30-mile average daily commute the German car maker identified in UK customer trials of the Mini E. As it is, BMW describes the i3’s range as being “adequate to meet the day-to-day mobility needs of the target customers”. 

BMW will also offer the i3 with a range-extender (REX) option. It will use a modified version of the 650cc two-cylinder petrol engine used in the company’s CT650 GT maxi-scooter, with a 9.0-litre fuel tank sited low down and ahead of the front seats. The combustion engine acts purely as a generator to provide electricity to the battery, and so configured the i3 is claimed to provide a range of up to 186 miles.

The 22kWh lithium ion battery used to power the i3’s electric motor comes with a warranty that is valid for up to six years or 100,000 miles. Claimed to weigh 230kg, it consists of 96 individual cells mounted low down across the entire length and width of the car’s flat floor. BMW says the battery, which is kept at an optimum 20deg C by its own air conditioning unit, has been designed to allow the replacement of damaged cells.

Recharging times vary, but BMW offers a wall box charger that is claimed to provide a full charge within six hours, or the battery can be charged from 20 per cent to 80 per cent capacity within 30 minutes when plugged into a contemporary 40kW fast-charge station.

Underneath, the i3 uses a bespoke chassis that boasts a 50 per cent front/50 per cent rear weight distribution. The front end is supported by MacPherson struts while the rear uses a five-link arrangement that mounts to the electric motor’s bell housing. Standard 19-inch forged aluminium wheels wear relatively narrow 155/70 tyres, to save weight and reduce both air and rolling resistance.

Thanks to its relatively low weight, the i3 offers instantaneous acceleration and entertaining pace. The reality of the whole 184lb ft being delivered to the rear wheels the moment you brush the throttle gives the car genuinely urgent properties. Before you know it, you’re backing off, such is the initial burst of acceleration.

The default driving mode is Comfort, which is designed to provide maximum performance. The rate of energy recuperation, and with it the braking effect on a trailing throttle, depends on the mode you choose. Backing away from the throttle in Eco-Pro+, the most efficient of the three driving modes, provides quite aggressive levels of retardation as kinetic energy is collected on the overrun; so much so that you rarely need more than a fleeting dab of the brakes to wipe off speed. 

The off-throttle retardation is so assertive that the brake lights illuminate if the i3 decelerates too abruptly. Eco-Pro+ mode also limits top speed to 50mph, reduces the performance of the air-con and will route you on roads with favourable topography to provide the maximum possible range.

The seamless power delivery and the braking effect of the energy recuperation system give the impression that the i3 will be a terrific city car, but it is the sheer agility that is the car’s defining characteristic. The lightweight structure and low-mounted batteries combine with rear-wheel-drive dynamics and a super-responsive driveline to produce a truly engaging drive. Given its overall size and tall stature, the i3 is easy to place, remarkably manoeuvrable and, crucially, fun to drive.

There is noticeable roll when you throw it into tightening corners at higher speeds, but it builds progressive and is easily tamed by a trimming of throttle. The tall but narrow tyres allow you to edge up to the point where grip begins to fade with a tell tale squeal with a fair deal of confidence before the DSC chimes in.

We’ll need more time behind the wheel on public roads before we can deliver a real appraisal of ride quality. The i3 hinted that its relatively long wheelbase, high-walled tyres and generous wheel travel provide comfort-orientated feel. There’s no obvious fidgeting over smaller ridges, although the jury is still out on its ability to cope with bigger bumps.