What is it?
BMW i brand’s first model, the keenly anticipated electric powered BMW i3. First previewed in concept car form back in 2011, the four-seat hatchback i3 has now progressed to pre-production stage, with UK sales set to begin before the end of the year.
The pre-production i3 differs little from the most recent concept, which took the form of a two-door coupé seen at last year's Los Angeles motor show. The car boasts proportions not unlike those of the Mercedes-Benz B-class, but with a much more contemporary appearance and more modern detailing, while the lack of B-pillars has allowed the use of coach doors at the rear to provide excellent access.
The i3 is the first road-going BMW to be based around a carbonfibre body structure. BMW says the extensive use of the material in the i3 has helped achieve an impressively low (by electric car standards) 1195kg kerb weight. Special crash paths, including patented honeycomb structures within the side sills, are also claimed to provide the i3 with class-leading levels of crash protection.
Power comes from an electric motor mounted low down within the rear axle – a position that has allowed BMW to devote the entire space under the bonnet to improve crash worthiness. The synchronous unit weighs 130kg and produces 168bhp, giving the i3 a power-to-weight ratio of 141bhp per tonne – just 10bhp per tonne shy of the Mini Cooper S. But it is the torque that really counts. With 184lb ft, the i3 boasts 5lb ft more than the Cooper S, and it arrives 1600rpm earlier, from the very first touch of the throttle. It is sent to the rear wheels via a single-ratio gearbox that offers the choice of three driving modes: Comfort, Eco Pro and Eco Pro+.
Join the debate
A34
Is there a market?
... For a £35K 2nd car for town-and-commute use only? Compared to a Smart car or 2nd hand superminis, the usual innercity car choices, it seems a lot of moolah. Might suit the Mayfair set, and at least it as a range extender, but otherwise looks like a tough sell. Probably its meant to be a minority car trialling new materials (like the lamented aluminium Audi A2).
Suzuki QT
Hmmm ...
I'd buy one ... When I win the Lotto!!
Winston Churchill
Seriously?!
You need a word with yourself. Disastrous choice of lottery car.
xxxx
Love one
Be interesting to see the yearly costs, if you commute into the congestion charge zone it'll save over £1500 a year, not including the saving's on petrol. A benefot for me too not having to breath in any cancer causing diesel fumes!
If the range extender is only 6%'ish extra surely it's worth going for! But like the Nissan leaf it might go down in price after a year.
Anyhow another step forward for the plug-in!
typos1 - Just can’t respect opinion
Peter Cavellini
One of use, One of us!!!
I appreciate the idea of the car, but, really, i don't want to be one of the Herd,and, as the second biggest purchase in your Life, depending on income of course,£35K is a lot of dosh for a car this size.I could understand it if it saved you money over two or three years, but, it looks like it stamped out like bottle tops, every one the same,occassionly a different color, a few interior differrences,but, is that where we're going with Transport?.
Peter Cavellini.
audiolab
Could be the first
...car of its genre to actually take off. The price initially seems high but in range extender form seems like it could actually work as an actual 1st car replacememnt. Like BMW honesty about actual range. Slightly disappointed at the range on the range extender maybe the option of a larger petrol tank would be great for that odd journey. No mention of battery hire, another saving ?
Performance seems to be more than generous, wonder how much lighter/further/cheaper it would/could be if say designed as a 100bhp unit. Out of my price range but if I could I probably would buy one.
@ Peter Cavellini
"every one the same,occassionly a different color, a few interior differrences,but, is that where we're going with Transport?."
Yes (probably & unfortunately), I think 99.9% of whats already on the road fits that description quite nicely.
Walking
Why only four seats
I don't understand why it only has four seats doesn't that just limited the market further. It sounds like a perfect car to drop of the children here there and everwhere. It maybe the second largest purchase but do latest models and premium cars keep the family safer?
catnip
From the pics I don't see the
From the pics I don't see the proportions as being similar to the frumpy, large snouted B Class. I really like its stubby front end, ironically it reminds me of the A2.
As someone who has the drivers seat fully back I like the long front and short rear door split. It means I dont have a pillar right next to my head, and makes it a lot easier for me to get in and out when my back is playing up. As more manufacturers are stopping producing small 3 door hatchbacks its a good solution for me.
Smilerforce
A2ish
doesn't half look like the A2 which at the time the A2 was a kind of game changer.
andyg1983
So whats different?
So this doesn't actually bring anything new to the electric car market at all. In fact its range is lower than that of the revised Leaf. Its more expensive and will still need all its batteries replacing in 10 years time at a cost of half the car again and with it been BMW you can bet this figure will go up and the service to do it will be terrible.
They had a chance to do something BMW have not done in decades, create a good looking car, shame they have failed yet again there too and will carry on to do so if they stick with the god awful kidney grille.
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