i3 [Official] The BMW i3 LCI and i3s

[klier]

If a person can afford this car cause it ain't cheap so it could be the only car in a household, then in certain ways its not competitive, especially in practicality. Most electric cars will most likely be city cars anyway due to the limited range. A cheaper Bolt and Tesla 3 will most likely be a better bet.

And a Golf is a better bet than a Mercedes S class. Yet both exist. How weird.

 

[CrunchSlaughtered]

I3 is BMW's most underrated model. This car is a technical marvel and the only light weight electrical car on the market. That gives it an unrivalled driving experience and sets it apart from the ordinary el cars like Bolt

 

[SCOTT27]

If a person can afford this car cause it ain't cheap so it could be the only car in a household, then in certain ways its not competitive, especially in practicality. Most electric cars will most likely be city cars anyway due to the limited range. A cheaper Bolt and Tesla 3 will most likely be a better bet.

Most i3's are bought as a secondary BMW. Ours is used mainly in Munich.
But the i3S has intrigued me enough to consider an order. Fluid Black with BMWi Blue highlights seems to hit the right notes.

Stealthy...

 

[SCOTT27]

The i3 is probably one of the best driving BMWs today. It's light,nimble and when you hit the accelerator it is very rapid.
I moved to the 94h and the improvement in battery assistance is welcome. But there is that feeling that there is still more to come. It's a mega city vehicle. It's not about cross-continent crossing, however I am sure i3 would be capable providing all resources were available.
The question of the i3S might seem irrelevant especially when they standard car is in a word quite brilliant. But the standard car is crying out for something extra to really enhance the use of its salient attributes.

 

[SCOTT27]

i3 is a unique car. Range wise it falls short, but the design, packaging, materials, manufacturing all put it in a class by itself. There are cheaper, faster, more range, more luxurious, more premium EVs out there, but there is an integrity to this car that appeals to me. The styling has always been a bit too busy, or unresolved, and I think they did a good job in fixing that with this LCI. I understand people's very reasonable objections, especially in light of competitors, but I still get a thrill whenever I see one in public, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing this update. I wonder how it will look in lighter colors, white always looked particularly unfinished with the old styling.

Ho.ho. My. i3 is in Caparis White.

 

[SCOTT27]

Pre-taster before the i8S.

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[hoffmeister_fan]

In my parts I rarely see an i3. Maybe once every 6 months. I quite like the funkiness of it and that its construction is CF-intensive. But I'd be lying if I didn't say that I was disappointed with the range.

 

[Sunny]

Some random counterpoints (can't bother to quote)

Yes, maybe it is the best handling car of it's class, but the class is "commuter ev" not hot hatch. I doubt the vast majority of that target market values handling over practical things like range and price.

If it is just a "city car", it needs to offer something to offset being just a city car (read "cheaper"). There is nothing that prevents Bolt from being as a good city car while offering usable range for the longer trips at a cheaper price point.

Second, while I can't speak to other regions, here in US, from what I have seen, in big cities, the idea of a "city car" to commute within the city limits is rather limited because -
A. Sub urban sprawl - many people live outside the city limits or
B. People who do live and work in the city more often than not use public transport/walk/bike to commute. None of my friends who live and work in SF even own a car and parking costs makes it prohibitively expensive unless it is a must have (as in I have to commute somewhere that is out side biking/walking/public transport zone and soon range starts becoming an issue again.

I see decent amounts of i3 where I am, but for last month or so, I see far more Bolts, though that car has been only for sale just this year. Anecdotal, but I think the market share of i3 in US will take a nosedive rest of the year/next year (thanks to Bolt, 3, and the new leaf)

 

[Touring]

It's meant to be a city car, for daily urban commuting within city limits. A secondary car in household. A premium car, not for masses.

And for such a role i3 is very well equipped.

Ironically - defying all the criticism in the media - almost all owners of the i3 are satisfied with the range. The most complaints are about the certain iffy practicalities of the car (boot is not deep enough, complex rear door opening mechanism, and some ergonomic issuses in the cabin).

But it certainly is a quirky car for people with rather acquired taste & needs. That's all the point of the niche products. It's not a common product for masses.

Another i3 battery upgrade is expected (2019/20) in this particular life cycle to offer even better performance & range.

Some random counterpoints (can't bother to quote)

Yes, maybe it is the best handling car of it's class, but the class is "commuter ev" not hot hatch. I doubt the vast majority of that target market values handling over practical things like range and price.

If it is just a "city car", it needs to offer something to offset being just a city car (read "cheaper"). There is nothing that prevents Bolt from being as a good city car while offering usable range for the longer trips at a cheaper price point.

Second, while I can't speak to other regions, here in US, from what I have seen, in big cities, the idea of a "city car" to commute within the city limits is rather limited because -
A. Sub urban sprawl - many people live outside the city limits or
B. People who do live and work in the city more often than not use public transport/walk/bike to commute. None of my friends who live and work in SF even own a car and parking costs makes it prohibitively expensive unless it is a must have (as in I have to commute somewhere that is out side biking/walking/public transport zone and soon range starts becoming an issue again.

I see decent amounts of i3 where I am, but for last month or so, I see far more Bolts, though that car has been only for sale just this year. Anecdotal, but I think the market share of i3 in US will take a nosedive rest of the year/next year (thanks to Bolt, 3, and the new leaf)

I agree. The i3 is not an American thing. You can't win them all.

 

[SCOTT27]

The Hyundai Ioniq is quite good too. The new Nissan Leaf also looks more visually interesting this time around.

 

[Cashmere]

43kWh battery pack coming in 2018.

BMW i3 with longer range arriving in 2018

 

[klier]

I agree. The i3 is not an American thing. You can't win them all.

Fully agreed, the i3 is for Europe and Japan. It's just pointless in the U.S, moreso than a Touring which they refuse to sell....

 

[SCOTT27]

Fully agreed, the i3 is for Europe and Japan. It's just pointless in the U.S, moreso than a Touring which they refuse to sell....

I did not know in the US the 3er Gran Turismo sells more units than the 3er Touring. Granted the Touring only has two engine options. Although both the X3 and X2 are expected to make up the complete numbers. But the Touring could be pulled earlier if unit sales continue to plunge.

 

[SCOTT27]

Fully agreed, the i3 is for Europe and Japan. It's just pointless in the U.S, moreso than a Touring which they refuse to sell....

The i3 is perfect for Europe and for metropolitan areas. Munich in particular as there is a lot of infrastructure especially for quick accessible charging.
The worst areas I have seen with poor infrastructure and just pure bad manners was in London. EV charging only but there is a Dubai registered G63 AMG parked.
If you want to talk Tesla competitor?
That would be the Vision i Dynamics which fast forward to IAA 2019 we will see the production car as well as the production version of the Porsche MissionE.
Seriously considering plunging for this to replace my first generation 2014 i3 Rex and to accommodate the 94h.
i3S in complete Fluid Black with BMWi Blue inserts. It looked fantastic at the IAA.

 

[Touring]

The i3 is the most high-tech and modern compact car ever. Oslo is just crowded with this car now, it's on the top three list of best selling cars in Norway 2017.

 

[EnI]

We are going to see new battery verisons in the future when new BMW Group EV models are introduced. And just like in ICEVs case there will be several power variants available with different motor / battery packs - with different performance & mileage outputs & thus different MSRPs.

So, basically expect something new with almost every MY.

 

[CrunchSlaughtered]

We are going to see new battery verisons in the future when new BMW Group EV models are introduced. And just like in ICEVs case there will be several power variants available with different motor / battery packs - with different performance & mileage outputs & thus different MSRPs.

So, basically expect something new with almost every MY.

Will the i3 have a second generation? Will it have the same lifecycle of 7 years like the rest of the BMW models(judging by the facelift it follows exactly the same timeline)? If there will be a second generation, will it be true to the same concept, or we should expect some major chane?

 

[SCOTT27]

Will the i3 have a second generation? Will it have the same lifecycle of 7 years like the rest of the BMW models(judging by the facelift it follows exactly the same timeline)? If there will be a second generation, will it be true to the same concept, or we should expect some major chane?

The i3 will continue to be a mega city vehicle, as will i8 a sports car which for the current one we are do for its LCI and the i8 Roadster. To be followed by i8S. There are two vehicles coming up under BMWi. One which we saw at the IAA the BMWi Vision Dynamics and the BMWi Next Crossover. We will see the production car of the BMWi Vision Dynamics at the IAA in 2019 just as we will see the Porsche MissionE in production form.

 

[sako97]

Larry David drives an i3 in the new season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm"; definitely an upgrade from the Prius. Curious to see if it'll spike up consumer interest and sales a bit.

 

[Rainer271]

100.000th BMW i3 Rolled Off the Assembly Line in Leipzig Today

BMW celebrated a big milestone today, as the 100,000th BMW i3 rolled off the assembly line in Leipzig. The electric car that was only launched back in 2013 managed to reach this impressive marker already, being a true testimony to how much the i division has grown over the last few years and how much it will shape the future of BMW. The occasion also prompted BMW officials to make more promises and predictions about the future of electric vehicles.

At the event, BMW CEO, Harald Krüger and Plant Director Hans-Peter Kemser also presented the next member of the BMW i family, the BMW i8 Roadster, as a camouflaged prototype; series production of the BMW i8 Roadster will begin in 2018. A further highlight was today’s official commissioning of the BMW Battery Storage Farm Leipzig, which will connect up to 700 BMW i3 high-capacity batteries. The large-scale battery storage system at the Leipzig plant will give batteries previously installed in BMW i3 cars a second life and put them to profitable use in a sustainable, energy-based business model.

“We are proud of the 100,000th BMW i3 built by our plant in Leipzig. The BMW i3 is the original, a true technological pioneer. With BMW i as our spearhead, we intend to remain the leading premium supplier of electro-mobility going forward. We are now looking ahead to the next member of the BMW i family, the i8 Roadster, which will expand our leading position in the field of electro-mobility. In 2025, we will offer our customers a total of 25 models with electrified drive trains,” said Krüger.

“In the interests of sustainability, today we are also presenting a concept for the second use of BMW i3 high-voltage batteries. With our Strategy NUMBER ONE > NEXT, we are looking far beyond the car itself and driving change in our industry with totally new approaches and business models,” he added. With wind turbines located on the grounds of the plant, the BMW Battery Storage Farm Leipzig links decentralized captive production from renewable energies with local energy storage and an industrial consumer in a completely unique way. The stationary battery storage farm is also integrated with the public power grid, which enables its electricity to be marketed as primary balancing power.

In this way, the BMW Group is making a contribution to the stability of the public power grid and performing a valuable function for the wider community. When there is a surplus of power from renewable energies, large-scale battery storage can relieve the grid by absorbing electricity. When there is not enough power in the electricity grid, the facility can release electricity to help stabilize the grid.

Series production of the BMW i3 began in September 2013. Current daily production of the BMW i3 stands at more than 120 units, with an annual production volume in 2016 of 26,631 vehicles. Production in Leipzig includes making carbon-fiber parts and painted plastic parts for outer skin panels, the BMW i body shop and BMW i assembly hall.

100.000th BMW i3 Rolled Off the Assembly Line in Leipzig Today