BMW has today debuted the series version of its electric car, the BMW i3, simultaneously in New York, London and Beijing.
“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,” said Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Norbert Reithofer, at the world premiere in New York.
The i3 – BMW Group’s first pure electric series-produced model – has a range of 130 to 160 kilometres. After conducting tests with fleets of MINI E and BMW ActiveE cars, the German car maker maintains that a range of 130 to 160 km is sufficient for the vast majority of drivers. The average distance driven daily worldwide is no more than 64 km, claims BMW.
However, the i3 is also available with a range-extender, which maintains the charge of the lithium-ion battery at a constant level enroute, as soon as it falls below a specified value. This is performed by a two-cylinder gasoline engine with 34hp (25 kW), mounted adjacent to the electric motor above the rear axle. BMW asserts the range extender increases the car’s maximum range in day-to-day driving to around 300 kilometres.
In terms of running costs, over a period of three years, BMW quotes figures that are about 40% lower than those of a 320dA registered in Germany. In other countries, figures could be lower, depending on the level of subsidies available for electric vehicles.
Benoit Jacob, Head of Design BMW i3, talks through the car’s design
The i3’s lighweight construction features a carbon-fibre passenger cell and a chassis made of aluminium. With a curb weight of 1,195 kilogrammes, the car’s electric drive-train manages to generate an output of 125 kW/170hp and peak torque of 250 Newton metres, which is immediately available from a standing start. According to official BMW figures, the car manages 0 to 37 mph in 3.7 seconds and 0 to 62 mph in 7.2 seconds. Its top speed is limited to 93 mph.
The motor sources its energy from lithium-ion storage cells integrated into the car’s underfloor section. The low, central placement of the battery units and even weight distribution improve the car’s handling, say BMW engineers.
The new car will be released in Germany and other European markets in November 2013. The market launch of the BMW i3 in USA, China, Japan and several other markets will take place in the first half of 2014. The base price for the BMW i3 has been set at 34,950 Euros in Germany.
Source: BMW
