BMW i

[agentsmith1612]

Well it's a 4 seater so that's to be expected. Trunk looks okay, but looks quite high. Do they have an empty compartment under there like the Model S?

The i3 has a frunk but the volume will be something like 20 liters, but if you order the RE the frunk will be full of a 9 liter fuel tank.

BMW said that with the REx you will go additional 100-120 km (62-75 miles). That will be a fuel consumption of 7-8 liter fro 100 km (29-33 mpg), that much more inefficient as a Volt.

Some people that don't like the concept of the Volt say that the RE in the Volt is much too oversize and therefore it will be inefficient, a smaller engine could be better.
But look at the i3 RE, the smaller one is inefficient and with the 9 liter fuel tank you are not able to go long ranges like in the Volt.

 

[surfingslovak]

In my industry they call this "design to fail". They are perpetuating the the perceived limitations.

I'm not sure what to make of the range extension feature using the 650cc motor. If I've done my back-of-the-envelope calculations correctly, I would not be able to drive from my home in San Diego to a nearby tourist trap called Julian (at about 5000'), because by the time I turned off the freeway the battery would be empty and the range extender wouldn't be able to handle even 45mph up any decent hill. And yet this is a drive that I don't hesitate to do in the Roadster so long as it has at least 3/4 standard charge. (There are now some Blink chargers at Santa Ynez, about 3/4 of the way to Julian if you go that way, but you'd still have to stop for an hour or so in the i3.)

I don't believe that this is quite correct. I'm getting about 40 miles from San Diego to Highway 79. Is that about right? If it is, then the battery will not be empty, far from it, even if the car was driven fast. It will likely be about half full assuming a steady freeway speed of 65 mph. Since the i3 will be about the size of the LEAF and have similar aerodynamics, I compiled the following table from Tony William's range chart. It illustrates that the REx should support freeway speeds of up to 75 mph on flat terrain. Given the weight of the vehicle, and the implied aerodynamics, the REx should be able to propel the car up a 6% grade at 45 mph. Assuming that the battery won't be fully depleted, it might be used to augment on steeper inclines. Speaking of which, I believe that you should be able to make it to Julian on electricity alone. I'm getting about 14 kWh for a journey of 60 miles and 5 kWh for 5,000 feet of elevation difference. The latter is about 33% better than the LEAF, courtesy of the lower weight. Tony did a similar but shorter trip in his old LEAF and was at 17% SOC at the end.

 mph  |  kW
 ---- | ----  
 35   |  5.6
 40   |  6.8
 45   |  8.7
 50   | 10.9 
 55   | 12.8
 60   | 15.4
 65   | 18.0
 70   | 21.2
 75   | 25.0

 

[Realist]

.

BMW said that with the REx you will go additional 100-120 km (62-75 miles). That will be a fuel consumption of 7-8 liter fro 100 km (29-33 mpg), that much more inefficient as a Volt.

REX adds 140km Range. That is app. 6,5l fuel consumption. Much lower than the Volt in REX mode.

The BMW i3 energy consumption is rated at 13kwh/100km, therefore it will be the most economically electric car on the market.

 

[mnx]

REX adds 140km Range. That is app. 6,5l fuel consumption. Much lower than the Volt in REX mode.

The BMW i3 energy consumption is rated at 13kwh/100km, therefore it will be the most economically electric car on the market.

wow 130Wh/km! I'm using about 65% more than that in my S... I would have expected it to do better than 6.5L/100km, my 335d did that on the highway with ease.

 

[ggr]

I don't believe that this is quite correct. I'm getting about 40 miles from San Diego to Highway 79. Is that about right? If it is, then the battery will not be empty, far from it, even if the car was driven fast. It will likely be about half full assuming a steady freeway speed of 65 mph. Since the i3 will be about the size of the LEAF and have similar aerodynamics, I compiled the following table from Tony William's rage chart. It illustrates that the REx should support freeway speeds of up to 75 mph on flat terrain. Given the weight of the vehicle, and the implied aerodynamics, the REx should be able to propel the car up a 6% grade at 45 mph. Assuming that the battery won't be fully depleted, it might be used to augment on steeper inclines. Speaking of which, I believe that you should be able to make it to Julian on electricity alone. I'm getting about 14 kWh for a journey of 60 miles and 5 kWh for 5,000 feet of elevation difference. The latter is about 33% better than the LEAF, courtesy of the lower weight. Tony did a similar but shorter trip in his old LEAF and was at 17% SOC at the end.

 mph  |  kW
 ---- | ----  
 35   |  5.6
 40   |  6.8
 45   |  8.7
 50   | 10.9 
 55   | 12.8
 60   | 15.4
 65   | 18.0
 70   | 21.2
 75   | 25.0

In my defense I'll say that (a) it was mostly by way of example, and (b) I always go Sunrise Highway (S2?) which is both further and higher, I think it tops out at 7000', and I'd actually forgotten that many people use the more direct route of 79.

 

[surfingslovak]

In my defense I'll say that (a) it was mostly by way of example, and (b) I always go Sunrise Highway (S2?) which is both further and higher, I think it tops out at 7000', and I'd actually forgotten that many people use the more direct route of 79.

The data I put together was meant as food for thought; it was not my intention to put you on the defensive. I agree that the upcoming i3 won't be as capable as the Roadster in terms of range, but it's also easy to form a potentially inaccurate opinion based on the limited information available today. One thing is certain, there is plenty of enthusiasm for EVs. While we can wonder why anyone would attempt a journey at the edge or beyond the limits of a vehicle, it will be done, and many times over. The trip to Julian in a LEAF I mentioned above is an example of that.

 

[NotTarts]

wow 130Wh/km! I'm using about 65% more than that in my S... I would have expected it to do better than 6.5L/100km, my 335d did that on the highway with ease.

That's under the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle). The 60kWh Model S uses 150Wh/km in the same conditions and the 85kWh 165Wh/km.

 

[mhpr262]

I suspect people will find they hardly need the REx. Even Chevy Volt drivers with barely 40 miles of range drive the vast majority of their total miles on electricity. The i3 has more than twice that range AND unlike the Volt it is specially designed and advertised for urban driving and will most likely be bought by people looking for just such a car, with even shorter average distances covered.

 

[Rifleman]

I suspect people will find they hardly need the REx. Even Chevy Volt drivers with barely 40 miles of range drive the vast majority of their total miles on electricity. The i3 has more than twice that range AND unlike the Volt it is specially designed and advertised for urban driving and will most likely be bought by people looking for just such a car, with even shorter average distances covered.

I agree with this. What the REx will do if give the piece of mind to the person with a 60 mile round trip commute that, even though they will almost always be driving on electrons, they wont be unable to complete their daily drive if the weather is really cold or really hot. Its one thing to rent an ICE for a long trip that you planned in advance. Its another thing when the temperature drops to -5 degrees, and your EV is no longer able to get you to work and back. Right now, the only 2 ways to deal with that scenario are to have a range extender (the BMW and GM approach) or simply have a larger battery that will give plenty of margin for even an abnormally long and cold commute (AKA, the Tesla way).

The i3 is a big step up in range from the Volt, and I anticipate it will pull quite a few customers away from GM. Its a shame it is so small, as its size will prevent large scale adoption.

 

[fastcars]

I think 90 to 110 range (hot weather like AZ take out 10-15 miles) are enough for daily commute. If range extender cost $2k (extend 100k more and give me good milage is win-win situation for daily city commute)

anyone has more pictures but july 29th is not far away to get all the details..

 

[surfingslovak]

I think 90 to 110 range (hot weather like AZ take out 10-15 miles) are enough for daily commute. If range extender cost $2k (extend 100k more and give me good milage is win-win situation for daily city commute)

anyone has more pictures but july 29th is not far away to get all the details..

If you open the recent press kit, all of the photos can be downloaded in high resolution. Below is a cropped sample (DPI 762, height 3,139, width 4,717):

Click to open

The i3 has a frunk but the volume will be something like 20 liters, but if you order the RE the frunk will be full of a 9 liter fuel tank.

BMW said that with the REx you will go additional 100-120 km (62-75 miles). That will be a fuel consumption of 7-8 liter fro 100 km (29-33 mpg), that much more inefficient as a Volt.

Some people that don't like the concept of the Volt say that the RE in the Volt is much too oversize and therefore it will be inefficient, a smaller engine could be better.
But look at the i3 RE, the smaller one is inefficient and with the 9 liter fuel tank you are not able to go long ranges like in the Volt.

Please note that the publicly available information is still very limited and it's a bit premature to come to any conclusions. I did some research on the Kymco engine the i3 will be using, and it looks like it will require premium fuel. Personally, I would expect to see about 42 mpg in range extended mode.

 

[fastcars]

I don't the front bumper style compare to many concept models (all of them has pretty cool shape)

man they need to do something with tire that looks pretty ordinary for BMW but hoping final details on july 29th will explain why they are tall etc...

 

[EVNow]

I think 90 to 110 range (hot weather like AZ take out 10-15 miles) are enough for daily commute.

It is not the hot whether that takes out a lot of range - it is winter combined with freeway driving. For eg. Leaf is good for about 60 miles in that condition - I expect similar from i3.

 

[fastcars]

It is not the hot whether that takes out a lot of range - it is winter combined with freeway driving. For eg. Leaf is good for about 60 miles in that condition - I expect similar from i3.

@EVNow, How is your experience with leaf for two years (your signature says that)

Do you have to plugin everyday or nissan says you shouldn't etc? any free or paid chargers available apart from your home charger on the road trip?

 

[gameon]

I am interested in BMW i3 with 110 range (extender if it good I will consider)

Leaf is tempting if they add more to miles and free charger at dealership...spark ev.. looks like will have range of option by the time tesla gen 3 will come out..

 

[EVNow]

@EVNow, How is your experience with leaf for two years (your signature says that)

Do you have to plugin everyday or nissan says you shouldn't etc? any free or paid chargers available apart from your home charger on the road trip?

Its been 28 months - and I'm on my second leased Leaf (first one transferred). It has been a great experience - Leaf has been very reliable. Only downside is the range loss in winter.

In the northwest there are tons of charging stations, including dozens of CHAdeMO. Seattle Nissan owners FB group is full of road trip stories. I've not done much traveling because of our small baby, though.

 

[anticitizen13.7]

I don't the front bumper style compare to many concept models (all of them has pretty cool shape)

man they need to do something with tire that looks pretty ordinary for BMW but hoping final details on july 29th will explain why they are tall etc...

The wheels on the i3 look terrible to me, but it looks like they were designed to minimize aero drag.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[tommolog]

The wheels on the i3 look terrible to me, but it looks like they were designed to minimize aero drag.

Yeah, it does look like 1st priority was aero. These are believed to be one of the wheel options though and are much nicer:

 

[surfingslovak]

Deutsche Welle has recently aired a segment about the i3. There are some interesting details about battery assembly, crashworthiness, and other information in the report (via Parker BMW i3 Forum View topic - Video of i3 Battery Pack Construction).

- - - Updated - - -

US pricing has just been announced (via Don Louv):

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – 3:00 am EDT/12:00 am PDT July 22, 2013… BMW today announced pricing for the ground-breaking BMW i3 electric vehicle. The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (without Destination & Handling) in the US will be $41,350, before any federal or state incentives. The Destination & Handling fee in the US is currently $925.

The BMW i3 heralds the dawn of a new era for individual mobility and for the BMW Group. True to a genuine BMW, the BMW i3 has strong emotional appeal, outstanding product substance and a guarantee of sheer driving pleasure,” said Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management, Sales and Marketing BMW. “With this leading-edge vehicle and attractive price, we will provide customers with a compelling offer for electromobility.”

The BMW i3’s 170 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque hybrid-synchronous electric motor, developed and produced by BMW, is electrified by a 22-kWh lithium-ion battery, good for 80-100 miles of emission-free driving. Designed from the ground up to be an electric car, the BMW i3 uses the Industry’s first mass produced carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) passenger cell mounted on an aluminum chassis.

The BMW i3 will offer interior space comparable to the legendary BMW 3 Series on a shorter overall body. Its 32.3-foot turning circle and a relatively long wheelbase make it agile and engaging to drive, yet ideally suited to driving in dense urban areas.

Quick and convenient charging is possible either with the home charging station supplied by BMW i or at any public charging station that uses a Level 2 SAE J1772 charging system. DC fast charging, using the SAE DC Combo-Fast Charger, will be available as an option. From a public fast-charging station, it will provide an 80 percent charge from a fully depleted battery in just 20 minutes.

BMW i’s commitment to sustainable urban mobility encompasses the i3 production facilities, where hydro-electric, wind and solar power are used to power the CFRP production facilities in Moses Lake, Washington and the Leipzig, Germany assembly line. Sustainable materials are also used for the BMW i3 interior upholstery and trim.

The BMW i3 will make its world debut at three simultaneous events in New York, London and Beijing on Monday, July 29. It will arrive in US showrooms in the second quarter of 2014.

Click to open

- - - Updated - - -

German pricing has been announced as well (via Philipp Altmann):

Munich. BMW Group today announced the base price of 34,950 Euros for the BMW i3 in Germany, the company’s first all-electric series production vehicle. The BMW i3 will be available to customers in Germany in November 2013.

Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Sales and Marketing BMW, stated in Munich: “The BMW i3 heralds the dawn of a new era for individual mobility and for the BMW Group. True to a genuine BMW, the BMW i3 has strong emotional appeal, outstanding product substance and a guarantee of sheer driving pleasure. With this leading-edge vehicle and attractive price, we will provide customers with a compelling offer for electromobility.”

The BMW i3 will celebrate its international premiere on 29th July at parallel events on three continents in the megacities of London, New York and Beijing.

BMW i3 products and services will be sold via a multi-channel sales model, comprised of authorized BMW i partners, a Customer Interaction Center (CIC) as well as an online platform. All sales channels will be fully networked and customers will be able to personalize their entire purchasing process to suit their needs. Some markets will also introduce a mobile sales force, a sales team which will be available to customers outside the traditional showroom.

With the holistic approach of „360 ° ELECTRIC“, BMW i provides the customer with an extensive product and service offer which covers the needs of drivers for electromobility. 360 ° ELECTRIC is based on four pillars: Charging at home (BMW i Wallbox), charging at public charging stations, assistance services as well as innovative mobility services, which include comprehensive maintenance services and warrantees, flexible car-sharing offers, as well as useful BMW Apps for the computer and Smartphone.

About BMW i. BORN ELECTRIC.
BMW i stands for visionary vehicles and mobility services, inspirational design and a new interpretation of premium that is strongly defined by sustainability across the entire value chain. With BMW i, the BMW Group redefines the concept of individual mobility. The BMW i3 is the world’s first premium car designed from the ground up to be powered by an electric drive system with revolutionary lightweight construction. The result is hallmark BMW driving pleasure in undiluted form, delivered with zero emissions and an engaging intensity unmatched by any electrically powered vehicle.

If you have any queries, please contact:

Corporate Communications

Click to open

 

[NotTarts]

US
Nissan Leaf - $28,800 (-30%)
Chevrolet Volt - $39,995 (-5%)
BMW i3 - $42,300

UK
Nissan Leaf - £25,990 (-15%)
BMW i3 - £30,680
Chevrolet Volt (Vauxhall Ampera?) - £35,255 (+15%)

Germany
Nissan Leaf - €30,990 (-12.5%)
BMW i3 - €34,950
Opel Ampera - €42,900 (+22.5%)

Some of the prices might be out of date. They're surprisingly difficult to find.