Taking A Short Ride In The BMW i3

I got the chance to take a ride in the BMW i3 at this past Wednesday’s New York International Auto Show. The EV Pavilion wasn’t much more than a temporary go kart track, with a few Nissan Leafs and BMW i3s. Unfortunately for riders, more coveted vehicles like the Tesla or i8 were not available for ride-a-longs.

When I arrived at the EV Pavilion, the Nissan reps had already left and the BMW guys were finishing up, but agreed to go around one more time. As the previous passengers finished up their run, I had a look over the i3 to get a feel for what I was in for. Clearly the first thing that sticks out is the two-tone paint covering the vehicle’s exterior.

Once the boldness of the burnt orange and black combination soaked in, I noticed the wood panels that flow across the dash board. At first I was unimpressed, but thinking back to all the cracked dashboards I’ve had over the years; it might not be as of a bad decision as I thought.

When the driver pulled up he waved me over and I got in. The passenger seat seemed comfortable and adequate for my six-foot frame. The driver introduced himself, explained some of the benefits of the electric drivetrain, and took off. He gave it some “gas” as we entered the straightaway, mentioning the 0-60 time of 7 seconds.

As we neared the next turn, he demonstrated how the i3’s braking system automatically slowed the vehicle when the driver’s foot comes off the pedal. As he took a few more laps, I asked about how the vehicle handles at higher speeds when letting off of the accelerator. He claimed that during his highway trips in California, the car would gradually slow down, eliminating the ability to coast.

As I exited the vehicle I gave it one last look over and closed the door, releasing that the smoker’s windows in the front doors, like the back windows, do not open. Overall, it’s an interesting option for those in the market for a fuel efficient hatchback, but it’s a bit too progressive for me. The wood dash and burnt orange are a bit much in my opinion, but other color combinations will be available upon release.

The ability to coast may be a missed option when you get an itch on your right leg, but cruise control would offer relief from touching the pedal at all. Beyond these aesthetic distastes and non-coasting nuisance, the BMW i3 is a comfortable, well thought-out electric car that adds one more choice in the world of eco-friendly rides.

Source: Gas 2.

BMW i3 Shipments to US – REx to BEV Ratio is 4:3

First 9 US-Bound BMW i3s – Scheduled to Arrive in New York on April 2

Several BMW i3 buyers are now tracking shipments of the i3 from Germany to the US.

Why track them?  The answer is simple: These i3 are headed here for delivery to those buyers.

Among the future BMW i3 owners is InsideEVs contributor George Betak.

Some clever sleuthing by Betak has led to a few discoveries.

• Asian Emperor is US-bound (California) with BMW i3s on board
• VIN numbers are listed for each i3 on the ship
• Approximately 50% of the i3s currently shipping to the US are earmarked for California buyers

And lastly, the BMW i3 REx to BMW i3 BEV ratio for US buyers is, as of right now, 4:3 in favor of the REx.

BMW i3s are hitting both coasts for delivery in the US.  As some arrive in California, others will land out East.

Of note is that the EPA has not yet issued final figures for the i3, so initial buyers are without official range and MPGe figures for now.

Asian Emperor is Currently Loaded With BMW i3s Bound For California

Source: Inside EV's

BMW i3 will come with unusual 'OwnersChoice' non-lease option

In case you were interested in driving a BMW i3 but were afraid of getting into a traditional lease, there's some good new for you. We think. BMW recently announced that it would offer something called "OwnersChoice" and "OwnersChoice with Flex" to make the elegant city EV an easier purchase. Or temporary purchase, anyway.

Something called "OwnersChoice with Flex" is not listed on the federal government's consumer information page on vehicle financing and we couldn't get a better explanation out of BMW than the official announcement, but the gist appears to be that an i3 buyer can make a gigantic balloon payment at the end of the contract term in order to pay less in monthly costs along the way.

The way Automotive News describes it, the typical balloon note chains the buyer to the car in such a way that, while you can get lower monthly payments, you're still on the hook for the amount of the financing even if you return the car. With OwnersChoice, if you give the i3 back after the contract is done (usually after three years), you're in the clear. With OwnersChoice with Flex, you need to pay up no matter if you keep the car or not, but you can take the $7,500 federal tax incentive and increase your balloon payment by - let's see here, what's the amount? ah, yes - up to $7,500, which would knock $208 (7,500 divided by 36) off your payment every month.

BMW Group Financial Services (GFS) came up with this new lease/payment hybrid thing, and Fred Isele, BMW GFS vp of sales and marketing, says it lets owners get, "a comfortable payment for one of the highest technological and efficient premium electric vehicles available to date."

Show full PR text

News Source: BMW, Automotive News - sub. req.

BMW i3 Hits The Track For Some Hot Laps

Germany’s BMW brand has always been one for building the “Ultimate Driving Machine”, and there are those that worry that the rush to make cleaner, green cars is going to reduce performance. After seeing this video of the all-new BMW i3 electric car taking to the track for some hot laps though, I’m not the least bit worried that BMW is getting boring.

Now I’ll grant you that music and creative editing can go a long way in a video like this, and with a top speed of 93 just MPH, that 2014 BMW i3 isn’t going to set the world on fire. That’s what the much faster (and three times as expensive) BMW i8 is for. Still, the 7.2 second 0 to 60 mph time is on par with most mid-size sedans for acceleration, and is actually a couple of seconds faster than competitor vehicles like the Nissan Leaf or Fiat 500e.

This video highlights the supposed athletic abilities of the BMW i3, and with its rear-wheel drive putting 170 horsepower and 184 ft-lbs of torque to the ground. With an all-electric driving range of around 100 miles, and an optional gas-powered range extender that about doubles the range, the $42,000 electric Bimmer also happens to have a lot more go-juice than most of the competition. No wonder Germans placed more than 10,000 pre-orders for the spunky electric coupe.

For EV enthusiasts waiting for something more exciting than the Nissan Leaf, but can’t quite afford to shell out $70,000 for a Tesla Model S, the BMW i3 makes a pretty compelling pitch.

Source: Gas2.0

BMW i3 continues to shed camo as it whirs silently toward production

While BMW was parading around its high-concept i3 Coupe at the LA Auto Show this year, the engineers and test drivers have been hard at work honing the real deal on the mean streets of, well, someplace European.

This is the same basic tester that we've seen in previous sets of spied images, though showing a bit more skin than in past outings. BMW has removed some of the obfuscating fake body panels from the i3, giving us a clearer view of the small car's taught and rather complex surfacing. Further, we've got a much better idea of what the production car's "face" will look like now, as the headlights have been somewhat less completely taped over, showing us the swept shape of the lenses.

The vehicle seen here is reportedly the range-extended Hybrid, rather than the pure EV. This car supposedly has a 600cc two-cylinder engine to sooth driver's minds on long trips, and improve on the electric car's presumed 100-mile range.

BMW i3 Coupe Concept Unveiled Ahead Of LA Auto Show

Though BMW has yet to officially begin selling its i-brand of electric vehicles, the German automaker isn’t done teasing consumers with cool EV concepts. Behold the latest pure electric vehicle, the BMW i3 Coupe Concept. The i3 Coupe Concept will make its official debut later this week at the L.A. Auto Show.

Turns out the rumors were true, and the BMW i brand is getting another addition. Details are few and far between, but this is what BMW is talking about so far. The BMW i3 Coupe Concept is based on the BMW i3, BMW’s first foray into an electric city car.

Like the standard i3, the i3 coupe sends power to the rear wheels via a one-speed transmission. With maximum output of 170 horsepower and 184 ft-lbs of torque, the BMW i3 Coupe Concept should prove a peppy, if not exactly fast ride. Some say that BMW’s foray into front-wheel drive is foolhardy, and if you ask me the i3 Coupe Concept is better served with rear-wheel drive.

BMW also went ahead and gave the i3 Coupe Concept a lower, more aggressive look to differentiate it from its four-door cousin. Add to that a warm orange paint job and sustainable sourced interior materials like leather, wood, and wool. There has also been talk of an optional range-extender to give the pure EV more versatility as an everyday driver. When BMW does start selling its i-brand EVs, it will try its hand at selling them online at a lower price.

Source: BMW