AutoExpress Reviews BMW i3, Says It's a Really Desirable EV

There has been a lot of hype about the BMW i3 lately, and for good reason. It’s BMW’s first series production electric car as well as the smallest model it makes with the blue and white roundel logo. Furthermore, it has a carbon fiber body and it kicks off the BMW i sub-brand. So what’s it like to drive?

We’ve already featured a video review of the i3 from a German blogger, but this latest one comes from AutoExpress. The handling is described as pretty good thanks to the rear-wheel-drive setup, 50/50 weight distribution and the low center of gravity. However, it’s not the sort of BMW one would want to go drifting with.

The reviewer points out the hot-hatch-like acceleration, as well as the quality of the interior. Overall, the car is described as a really desirable electric vehicle, which is not something one can say about the Nissan Leaf, for example.

Probably the most important thing in this review is the range test. The reviewer wanted to see if BMW’s claimed driving range is attainable. Scroll down to watch the video to find out if it is.

By Dan Mihalascu

VIDEO

Reviewer Says the BMW i3 is All the Car You Need in the City

BMW has recently organized a press drive event in Amsterdam with the new i3, where journalists and bloggers had the opportunity to see what the brand’s first mass-produced electric car is like to drive and live with.

The following review comes from Germany’s Ausfahrt.tv (don’t worry, it’s in English) and tackles many of the i3’s features, including mundane stuff like storage spaces, interior room and practicality.

However, the i3 is still a BMW, so the driving experience is what interests most people. The blogger liked the way the i3 drives in the city and noted that it’s very smooth and silent while being pretty quick as well.

Given that the BMW i3 rides on ultra-thin 19-inch wheels, it comes as a surprise that the suspension offers a good compromise between comfort and sportiness - always according to the reviewer. The car has many storage spaces and plenty of room inside, except in the back, where the two seats don't look like they're suitable for large people.

You can find out more about the i3 from the review posted below.

By Dan Mihalascu

VIDEO

BMW Surprised by i3 Demand, May Increase Production [116 New Photos]

Believe it or not, but BMW is considering a production increase for the i3 electric car, despite the fact that the car hasn’t even hit showrooms yet. That’s because there are more than 8,000 reservations for the i3, a month before the car will arrive in European dealerships.

“If demand holds, which is what it’s looking like, we will soon have to invest more,” BMW chief financial officer Friedrich Eichiner said at a press conference in Amsterdam, according to a Bloomberg News report. He added that the company will adjust capacity according to demand and that sales forecasts for the i3 are for more than 10,000 units next year.

The BMW i3 will be priced from €34,950 ($47,160) in Germany when it goes on sale on November 16. The car will launch in the U.S., China and Japan in the first half of next year. In the United States, the i3 will start from $41,350 (€30,655).

The first i-badged BMW is powered by an electric motor developing 125 kW (168 hp) and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft). It offers an everyday driving range of 130 – 160 km (approx. 80 – 100 miles) that can be increased by 20 km (12 miles) in Eco Pro or EcoPro+ modes. However, for those with range anxiety, BMW will also offer an optional two-cylinder range extender petrol engine developing 34 hp. The unit maintains the minimum charge level and boosts range to around 300 km (185 miles).

If the range extender is not enough, BMW will also offer i3 customers the option to book a conventional BMW model for several weeks a year as a backup.

By Dan Mihalascu

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