The i3: Electric Bimmer is a Race Car in Green Clothing

by Keith Morgan on Thursday, February 5th, 2015

“In town, the BMWi3 is the perfect shopping cart, extremely manoeuvrable and the fastest parker in town!”

 

 

It is suggested that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery though it’s doubtful that belief is enthusiastically shared by folks in the fiercely competitive auto business.

Nevertheless, to quote another common saying, all is fair in love and war. So, prepare to see clones or lookalikes of the all-electric, BMW i3 emerging from the production lines of major manufacturers in the next few years.

In Detroit recently, my head spun when I clapped eyes on Chevy’s all-electric Bolt, even its rusty colour was similar to the i3 I drove at the launch in Amsterdam in 2013. As I remarked at that time, the compact eco-Bimmer has a funky look and its one that’s gaining traction especially among the younger generation.

My head spun again the other week when I picked up a production version to test in local conditions from Brian Jessel BMW in Vancouver. It was identical to the Dutch example! Well, not quite. It did have an additional feature not present in the launch model. It had a range extender, which is marketing-speak for a two-cylinder, 647cc gas engine. It doesn’t drive the wheels but kicks in as an electricity generator designed to top up the battery when it runs low.

It’s a must addition for Canada unless your daily trek clocks up no more than the promised 130-160 kilometres range when setting out with a fully-charged battery or you don’t have access during the day to the charging stations now springing up in many urban core parking lots.

Based on my Dutch experience and a few days buzzing around the Fraser Valley, the top end is a shade optimistic, especially in poor weather when one tends to crank up the heat. Mind you, with a starting price just short of $45,000 the $4,000 generator pushes that already substantial cost up significantly. The nine-litre gas tank that feeds the tiny engine boosts the range to around 300 kilometres.

What is indisputable is just how much fun this car is to drive. In town, the BMWi3 is the perfect shopping cart, extremely manoeuvrable and the fastest parker in town! The lithium-ion battery, housed in an aluminum cage below the five-seater cabin, enables the electric motor to mimic a race car at the green and back into a tight spot equally quickly!

You think I jest? After seven seconds of acceleration, the display shows 100 km/h. The need to pass fast on the freeway is also easily achievable with a five-second count between 80 and 120 km/h.

Drive like that all day and the gas engine will be firing up in no time but the power is there if you need it. Drive sensibly and to the prevailing weather conditions and you will get close to the advertised range. Sticking to the sluggish EcoPro and EcoPro+ modes will add 20 and 40 km to the range. Nah.

But it’s not just about operator proficiency: The carbon-fibre body is light and regenerative braking constantly tops up the cells. Using a regular domestic power point, I was able to recharge the i3 overnight and if you install a fast charger, you can be back on the road in three hours.

Interestingly, the BMW Group has partnered with the live transit information service Moovit (IOS and Android apps available). The app is an interactive service that informs the user about local transit options once you have parked up and plugged in the i3. Crowd sourced information also tells you which forms of transport are full and where there are delays. You can take advantage of this fabulous app without the need to shell out for an i3!

Contact: keith [dot] morgan [at] drivewaybc [dot] ca

Premium Car Brands Don’t Always Demand Premium Prices

by Keith Morgan on Wednesday, November 6th, 2013

This trend is good for all levels of the market as non-premium car makers try to offer a better bang for your buck when purchasing the workaday wheels… (more…)

Is the BMW i3 Destined For Your Driveway?

by Keith Morgan on Monday, October 21st, 2013

A BMWi3 hooked up to a street-side fast charger in Amsterdam. An hour there will get you home with ease. (Photo: BMW)

The test cars at the international launch of the BMWi3 in Amsterdam, slept in a public parking garage equipped with a long wall of chargers. (Photo: BMW)

The BMWi3 magic key fob! – It opens doors, starts the car and gives access to recharging. (Photo: BMW)

The BMWi3’screcharging cable folds into a small forward trunk under the hood. (Photo: BMW)

The BMWi3 electric ‘gas’ cap! – And when the cable is ‘refuelling’ overnight nobody is disconnecting that baby without a key. (Photo: BMW)

The BMWi3’s rear hatch lifts to reveal a generous luggage area, which grows still more when the split rear seat backs are flipped forward. (Photo: BMW_

The BMWi3’s central display offers crisp views of maps and other information. The mode featured here shows pictorially how far the car can be driven along a chosen route in either the Comfort or Eco Pro driving modes. (Photo: BMW)

This display mode in the BMWi3 shows where the nearest recharge stations can be found along the chosen route. There are close on a thousand public recharge stations in the Amsterdam metro area. BC has a long way to go! (Photo: BMW)

Rear-hinged doors on the BMWi3 provide fabulous ease of access to the front and rear seats. Note the ‘step’: it forms an important part of the shell’s strength. (Photo: BMW)

The click-switch gear changer in the BMWi3 seen here through the steering wheel is easy to operate but it is so unlike any other gearshift it does take a good few klicks at the wheel to get used to its operation! (Photo: BMW)

The BMWi3 dash is simply elegant. Lovely wood finish on the passenger side on the test car and the material used around the dash has that flecked raw carbon fibre look, which is what forms the car’s external shell. The central hi-def display screen is as crisp as your home big screen TV. (Photo: BMW)

Now the front end of the BMWi3 does look like a Bimmer! – That said; take a closer look at those ‘kidney grilles”. They are false because the electric car needs no rush of air to cool what’s under the hood. (Photo: BMW)

The BMWi3 wheel design is traditional but the tires are slimmer than typical BMW products. (Photo: BMW)

The look of the all-new 2014 BMWi3 electric car is based on functionality rather than on beauty. It’s designed to tote up to five folks and their everyday baggage primarily in city areas, though its driving range of 160 kilometres-plus on a full charge makes it a serviceable car for the near- Boonies! (Photo: BMW)

The deeper rear side windows on the BMWi3 are quirky in the appearance in that they break the line from the windshield to the rear. However, it does provide a view for passengers that would be denied if they did follow that line. (Photo: BMW)

Of course, if you don’t fancy bussing or walking home you can always take the bike you locked up earlier in the day or take a rickshaw ride in Old Amsterdam. (Photo: Keith Morgan, Driveway)

The intermodal display will also show on your smart phone steering you home on foot or transit. And you can keep checking all night to see how your baby is charging! (Photo: Keith Morgan, Driveway)

The BMWi3 is hooked up to the juice but home is more than a few blocks away. When the central display is intermodal mode it displays your way home via transit or on foot! (Photo: Keith Morgan, Driveway)

 

 

AMSTERDAM – BMW has joined the race for the electric car dollar. On the evidence of two days driving the (more…)