The new BMW i3 is finally here and comes with 560 miles of range
BMW’s first-ever electric 3 Series is finally here and comes with a massive 560 miles of range — the biggest amount of range in the electric car market. This is BMW’s game changer and the second of its Neue Klasse after the release of its iX3.
The 3 Series saloon has iconic status in the automotive industry and is probably BMW’s most sought after model. Can the electric version win hearts in similar quantities?
Exterior
BMW has slightly tweaked its famous saloon silhouette, with a ‘2.5-box’ shape featuring pronounced wheel arches above 21-inch wheels, long wheelbase with short overhangs and a sloping roofline. The stocky-looking i3 is 4.76 metres long and 1.87 metres wide, emphasised by two light elements per side, which are joined by a distinctive grille and headlight arrangement at the front.
At the rear, there’s a new three-dimensional light signature, while the BMW badge sits between what the German brand is calling the ‘valley’.
Customers will be able to choose from 11 exterior paint finishes at launch, including the i3 exclusive ‘M Le Castellet Blue’.
Powertrain, Range & Charging Times
Launching with the 50 xDrive model variant, the i3 is powered by two electric motors that drive the front and rear axle with a combined output of 462bhp and 645 Nm of torque.
The i3’s 560 miles of range is mind boggling to say the least, and with charging speeds of up to 400kW at an 800-volt DC charging station, the car can replenish 248 miles of range in just 10 minutes. The i3 uses batteries with a cell-to-pack design, reducing weight and cost compared to other EVs.
Interior
Inside, the features BMW Panoramic iDrive, which is positioned front and centre. The 17.9-inch Central Display infotainment screen and new multi-function steering wheel feature Shy Tech technology, which illuminates buttons only when the corresponding functions are available.
The features all characterise the futuristic-looking cockpit, which BMW says is ‘optimised around the driver’.
As for the seats and upholstery, sustainable materials like recyclable textile composite made from 100% recycled polyester and Econeer seat covers are used. Those buying the i3 will be able to customise both the interior and exterior of their car with different trim levels, including M Sport.
Price & Release Date
While there’s no official word on price as yet, some reports claim the i3 will be priced similarly to the current combustion version at around £50,000.
The ICE 3 Series will remain on sale, while the i3 is being built at BMW’s facility in Munich. Deliveries are set to take place in the second half of this year, with an i3 Touring estate variant likely to join it at a later date, as well as an iM3 performance version in a couple of years’ time.
And while war in the Middle East is set to hike fuel prices, this all-electric saloon with 560 miles of range may prove more popular them ever.
words: Mike Booth
pictures: BMW (UK) Ltd