I just got a chance to drive a friend's used 2014. Retired now, but I spent over 40 years in the car industry and had a chance to drive some nice cars. This was the nicest.
Adore it. I am a died in the wool car addict, with a good sports car history. Just buying my wife one of these to replace a GLK. Love the engineering detail. Detest electric cars based on gasoline car platforms. Flat floors, no front 'engine' space. Well done BMW. Unfortunately going to tank in value - always going to be the case when jumping onto the bandwagon early...
Love the design. Wide doors for easy entry. Because of the frameless doors you can even enter the car in tightly parked spaced by lowering the windows and hunching over to slip into the seats. The design is surprisingly functional. The interior so modular that in theory you should be able to replace and improve materials, including the screens. BMW was initially too lazy marketing the car because they had so many requests for test drives. Big opportunity missed to market this car as a mobility service offer.
We bought our i3 specifically for my wife to commute back and forth to work and give our aging MB C230S that we love a rest. However, I find that whether it's going out for the evening, picking up stuff at the lumber yard or a road trip, we choose the i3 over our other three vehicles about 90% of the time. It just does everything better than a piston powered car. And never fails to put a smile on my face when I drive it.
As a first attempt for a new-breed EV by BMW, I think the design is already very advance for the time being. I test drove two of them one is pure-EV, the other with REX. I tried going in and out of the backseats and was very easy to do so. The backseats had good size and space, I did not feel cramped at all. I love the sound system, the view of the back windows as they are big. I love how fast it just took off at the stoplights! I think BMW will make improvement for the second generation, especially increasing the width of the tires so that it is more capable at cornering, but it was not bad at all, just not the kind of corner-eating BMWs which I had grown accustomed to. It still gave an entertaining ride and the comfort level was quite high. I also noticed that the sitting position was higher than a sedan, so the view ahead was great too. And the self-parking was very fun too, and it worked three times out of the three times I tried. The recycled materials felt odd at first, but then once I started driving, I forgot about them already and it felt natural and I felt good about myself driving something that did good for mother natural. The auto-cruise worked faultlessly as well following the car in front on freeway with no problem. Also, I love the truck, which is big enough for a 50inch TV as it seemed. In a nutshell, I can see the i3 becoming very successful with a longer range (180 - 220 USA miles should suffix for most people), and wider tires, may be 195 instead of 155/175. I think it will sell well. Oh, last but not least, put up more super-charging stations for i3 owners or BMW owners too. It means something unique about owning a BMW EV. I know I am taking a page from Tesla. Hey, as my professor always suggests, "copying something good without harm is virtue!"
I like it. The design also means that you sit higher and have a smaller foot print, which are essential when driving in congested European cities, where this car shines.
Saying the range extender is not "designed" for long distances is a bit misleading and insinuates its incapable of this. More correctly its intentional use is a back up to the battery range but it is capable of driving any distance if the driver keeps filling the miniscule tank.
The i3 design: it doesn't make my socks go up and down, but I like it because it is distinct and not in a bad way. Too many SUVs carry similar design cues, even the Maserati SUV would be difficult to distinguish without badges. The interior? I watch RCR, so I love it.
I have just bought a 2019 i3 120Ah / 42Kwh and have just performed a long range test at 10-17C. I started with 100% battery and a predicted range of 158miles on the GOM. I have driven hybrids now for 12 years and I am aware what a light pedal foot has on economy. So off we set on the 84 mile trip with a mix of motorway (60%) A road (40%) . Outbound heading for the coast there's more negative gradients but it will all level up on the return. As this is a max range test I put the car in Eco PRO and turn off the heating/cooling. I get between 10 - 22Kwh/100Km and a light foot also mean that I see quite a bit of regen. When I arrived at my destination I had a GOM range left of ! 130 Miles (84 + 130) = 214 miles. I charge to 100% again and then on the return when I arrived home the GOM said 100 miles so a return range of 184 miles. I expect these ranges to drop by switching to Comfort and adding some heating however even if these settings suck 20 miles of range that's still 194 and 168 miles so taking the worst case 168miles that's very close to what BMW expect this car to achieve and by switching to ECO PRO 180 is also possible for most of the year and for most journeys. Remember my home journey was full of positive gradients to reach the destination at 333m. So with this I have confidence this car can easily achieve its 160 mile range as quoted under these temps which in the UK is pretty standard. I am well impressed with this car it drives likes its on rails and accelerates like a rocket. :-)
I love this design. I do think it looks futuristic, but, good also. Good in a different kind of way to what we're used to, no doubt, but, honestly, it's moving the goal posts onwards.
I've owned my i3 for the past 3 months....have to say, the looks at some angles are 'challenging' however, that said every other car I have driven since feels antiquated. I honestly think I will never buy/lease another ICE....instant torque is addictive, the handling is interesting at times but generally fun, and the way it just demolishes most cars up to 40mph off the line is hilarious! I would urge anyone to get out there and try one on an extended test drive - if this is the entry level for BMW i cars, I cannot wait to see what the i5 will be like!
I love the design. I just test drove an i3 as I am thinking about what car I will replace our 2014 320xi lease that ends in September. My kids Hate the i3 and want me to get another 320. I hate having to go to the gas station and I love the power and one pedal driving of the i3
You may be disappointed with the small front truck ( Frunk ) but if you live uptown like I do, and dine out regularly like I do, you will likely love the minimal amount of car that is in front of and behind the wheels. This design feature makes this car very easy to maneuver and park in tight spaces. Mega, Tera and Giga World are the three trim packages. I've never heard one referred to as a Pterodactyl so that may be a regional thing.
Love it. Wife shopping for one now. And yes I drive 2016 mustang gt premium performance pkg. She however replacing her mazda mx5 for this. Design is really appealing.
I kinda like it. Its funky & different from your average EV, but it have to be in a different color. Black make it look chunky … chunky, but funky. The i3 & i8 are a technological marvel from an engineering stand point. BMW went to great lengths to develop them. Yep, not a fan of the steering wheel either. It just screams Crown Vic! Same with the S-class, I hate the 2-spoke steering wheel. As always, excellent work M!
Hey George, my wife just signed the papers on a Chevy Bolt. The car should be delivered from California to Nashville sometime in the next week and a half. Let me know if you want to discuss it.
I like the i3, local bmw dealer let me take it for a weekend, but couldn't justify cost on a vehicle that could have issues going up grapevine in cali. after reading a few stories of power being cut by on board computer, that would be a little disconcerting.
The issues with power limitation when on REx were exclusive to the US due to software limits required by the BEVx designation. Basically the REX motor could only kick in when the battery was only 6% full... which given the power output of the REx motor (25kW) and an electric motor that could require five times that amount of power at peak output it was a bit like trying to refill a fire engine's near empty water tank with a garden hose while it's crew was trying to put out a fire. It was easily solved by coding the i3 to it's european setting which allowed the REx motor to kick in at 75% full or lower and with the newer 33kWh i3 they've slightly upped the REx output and added additional hidden buffer battery capacity below 0% indicated. So TLDR, not an issue any more.
Any chance of a head-to-head with the Tesla Model 3 when you get your hands on one? They're both at a similar price point and will be the most affordable fully electric cars on the market.
I love the design. "Carriage Doors" (can we please stop calling them suicide doors?) are actually much better for access than conventional doors. Rolls-Royce could use any design they wanted, and they all have carriage doors, except the coupes of course. It's mainly a ladies car, so I think the better rear access and deeper rear windows is popular with kids.
in several places in Europe you can upgrade the Bmw i3 battery but in my opinion the best is impexneth from the Netherlands and they have original 120ah Bmw batteries, not foldable and the price is around 6000 eur
When I look at this car and stand next to it. The first thing that comes to mind is small cars like the Mini Cooper and Fiat, IQ, Fortwo. If I had to choose...I would rather drive the BMW i3 full electric with upgraded battery. Why? Because the other cars I mentioned are too little for me and sit too low to the ground. The BMW i3 is way roomer and very comfortable and drives extremely well. If I'm gonna sit low to the ground it better damn well be a Porsche 911 Targa 4S.
I used to have reservations about the design until I understood that this car should look different since it is built from the ground up. Like why did cameras have to be rectangle, while there was no more film to put in? This car exhibits its design intent! Eco Megacity Car/Comfort.
In this class of vehicles (size) its the most modern attemp of Design. Its designed like an electric car can be designed. The other alternatives in the class look more like a more aerodynamic optimized Version of a classic petrol car. Its from the whole concept constructed and thought like an electric car. The best energy is the one you dont need. So with the modern material tech, you can save weight and reach the same targets with a smaller battery. This also means you save weight again on the batteries and make the car more effective. The materials are also choosen to be environment friendly and easy to recycle. The Battery tech is more modern than in a tesla. - So overall a cool car - in that segment. For the heart and soul you drive somehting else, but for what it should be - its perfect.
Hi MotoMan. Let's put it in that way this car have a bipolar disorder, it's like the Beast and the Beauty - ish. On the outside is not very pretty but it is pretty quick. On the inside it's much prettier than outside but the ambiance sensation is the strong point of this little-big car.
There have been actual cost models done on this very question. Container ships carrying huge volumes of materials add VERY little to the landed cost. Truck and overland transport end up being comparable to other materials - everything that goes into a car gets sourced from somewhere.
The total production emissions for the i3 are about 25% below a comparable sized car conventionally built. That's including HV battery manufacturing and raw materials. Most EVs have production emissions about 10-15% above combustion vehicles but on typical grid energy mixes and mileage that's offset in the first three to twelve months of driving.
Ah cool I'd love to read the report or article if you have it & see how they do their strategy - sounds like there's lots that can be learned from them
Jalopnik has a good summary with a link to the official report: jalopnik.com/the-bmw-i3-is-officially-much-greener-than-almost-every-1462999376 BMW really pushed a lot of new processes into the i3 production line. On my i3 for example the clear coated CFRP roof is made from rewoven offcuts of CFRP from the frame (the 2016 i3 swapped this for aluminium due to crash safety requirements in the US with the moonroof).
The brakes are not technically regenerating. The electric motor is generating when you let off the accelerator. So the common phrase regenerative braking should be instead, regenerative deceleration. I have a 2016 BEV on an assumed lease... it is a fantastic car for $215 per month. Plan to buy a used 2017 in a year or so.
I like it, well i guess I like it, can i really like it, maybe it will grow on me, I somewhat like it I guess. But nonetheless it's fun to drive in the city and on B roads. Cheers Oliver
What a dumb blanket statement about leasing. There are many pros to leasing and often times on electric cars the lease deals are quite aggressive. Also, the didn't "lop off" part of the gas tank. It's all programming. Many owners have had their i3s reprogrammed to allow full use of the gas tank.
Arven Tahtyan can you read, bro?? I have issues with BS statements not grounded in reality. Like for instance, his assertion that the door panels are made in part of hemp. Hint: they aren't.
Leasing is the MOST expensive way to acquire a vehicle. Full stop. Yes, it is highly convenient but you pay DEARLY for that convenience which has a HUGE negative impact on your overall net worth. And the tax write off excuse also doesn't hold water no matter what fancy accountants say. All reputable financial pubs agree as to the high and hidden costs of leasing. We will be doing a 'Why you should never lease a car' episode in the near future. More short term, there is an #AskMotoManTV segment coming up on Sunday that demonstrates a very good example of why not to lease even an EV. Bottomline, if you want convenience and willing to pay through the nose for it, then lease. If you want to avoid having to say 'Welcome to Walmart' in your golden year, avoid leasing.
+MotoManTV I've never leased but when you actually break down the numbers...it usually comes to the same price IF, you were going to sell the car after 3 years. The leasing gives you the option of trading in the car , buying you don't have that option. It's not as black and white such as leasing sucks or always buy. Every deal is different. And if anyone was truly worried about just financials, they would get a cheap Honda and call it a day and invest the money.
+MotoManTV in either case, love the videos, you do a great job of showing us the car, NOT yelling at us, and are pleasant to listen to and I watch every new and old video you have put out . Great job!
Design-wise, it's hard for me to believe how much more I like this car when it's blacked out and sitting on 20" wheels. The flagship white/black or blue/black schemes which are so striking on the i8 absolutely do not work for me on this car, and something about the contrasting panels masks its similarity to other unusual hatchbacks that I do like such as the A2 or B-class. But in black, at least in video since I don't think I've ever seen a black one in person, I can get into it. Still not sure how I feel about the interior and definitely not a fan of the steering wheel, especially as it is from the same company that makes the current M/M-Sport wheel which I think might be the best thing ever put inside a car.
I kind of love and hate the design at the same time. Its cool looking, to some extent. And at the same time, its looks like I dont know what. What's actually stopped me from buying one (here in Sweden) has been the fact that our dogs will not fit in the boot, and the lack of range. I need 300 mile range in the real world, in -30 degrees celsius, as I travel a lot all year around. And we refuse to have 2 cars in our family - so the EV option has been out of the question. We do not have the money to burn on a Tesla either... and we wouldnt spend that money on a car even if we could.
5putput yeah... but it is kind of long way between gasstations in the north. I drive a lot in lappland, and it can be very far between stations. Moreover, the I3 REX tend to go into a mode where your speed is restricted, when the battery goes low. That stands for the REX as well, since the generator wont keep up at high speeds. Then you have to limp along with the big rigs, howering around 45 miles an hour. Wish put huge amount of time on an allready long drive. And do not count on getting full heating when that happens. I would love to have an EV. But they are simply not ready to stand against cars with combustion engines outside the citys yet. At least not to an economical person.
I understand that my driving is not what most people use their cars for. But the fact is, that neither in the US or here in Sweden, people do not buy cars that cover 99% of their driving. People buy cars to cover that last bit you could live without. That's why pickup trucks are so popular in the US, and that is why SUV's is so popular just avout anywhere. Most people do not need a 4x4 at all. But it could come in handy sometime in our life, hence we buy 4x4. The same goes for BMW i3, and other EV cars: people buy cars that cover that one time every year you drive for hours and hours to meet the parents-in-law at the hollidays.
Eric, that's exactly the point. Why would someone that can "run the numbers" buy a huge vehicle that they use for a 30 mile daily commute? It costs more to maintain, fuel, and buy. It also loud, oily, and inefficient. (Not to mention the CO2.) Most families have two vehicles anyway - so you don't have to rent to go on a long trip unless you want to. Having a big car, and a small car makes financial and common sense.
You keep saying that's the fully loaded model like it's good..the 20inch wheels are the worst for this car, leather seats are crap after a while and go baggy a d the other seats just look better
This is like Smart for two. They wanted it to be practical even though it will look weird, but it doesn't look bad either, just different. It is very well adapted to city driving. For better rolling resistance they chose big diameter. Wider wheels have actually less rolling resistance but higher airdrag which is in fact not important for city driving. However, had they chosen wider wheels, they would've been heavier and put more stress on suspension and steering. The slightly wider wheels for the s model are ok. The grip of these slim tires is not that good and the esp cuts the power quickly but some premium tires could improve it except they will be probably harder to find. Even though the tires are narrow, they won't wear down quickly because the diameter is large. Also the motor does quite a good job propelling the car pretty fast, you will feel the acceleration up to over 80kph which is very nice. Anyway since it's not designed for a racetrack, the car is perfectly fine. I wish they made on the same platform same engine a small 2 door coupe sports car with tougher suspension and normal wheels something like the i8 but on the i3 budget.
They made them that big to increase the size of the contact patch with the thin tires. So it reduces some contributors to rolling resistance and aerodynamic drag from the wheels and yet gives them a bigger contact patch than a Mini Cooper S gets from it's much wider 16s. And yet they still have to electronically dial back the torque to stop it doing a burnout every time you brush the accelerator pedal.
Jumping around the raw materials to manufacturing all over the globe, from Japan to USA back to 2 places in Germany, isn't exactly efficient or environmentally friendly. BMW would do better to just get the materials raw material and make the CFRP themselves in Leipzig. Not only would that reduce the cost down further it would save a few hundred gallons of diesel per car shipping it all over the place. And considering how amazingly environmental and sophisticated their Leipzig plant is, i'm sure they could do that without much effort on their part.
I love the whole concept and give BMW much credit for making a unique electric car, but it looks absolutely hideous. The worst part is the ridiculous, narrow bicycle tires it has. It looks like a shrunken van on wagon wheels. The rear doors aren't "suicide" doors in the classic sense because the rear passengers can't open them to get out unless the front doors are opened first. The whole thing seems very cheap compared to a Volt--or even a Bolt. It just has the BMW brand cache associated with it. 👎 Even here in California, you don't see too many of these things. I'll happily stick with my ELR-which is even more rare to see!
Like the exterior in single color.... HATE the goofy old fashioned look of the fabrics used in the non-leather vehicles. Is it me... or did BMW change the FRUNK lid? Didn't it lift off before?
Don't currently feature Tesla on the show. Have reached out MANY times but for some reason, while Elon's people are able to send vehicles to space, they cannot return phone calls or e-mails. Hint taken.
Doesn't work that way. Good, bad or indifferent, timeliness of the cars we feature on the show is very much tied to our financial well being. Have a look at the comments in this episode as to a bit more of how our business works ruclips.net/video/Tkyh2HE416k/видео.html
+MotoManTV I think that is more tied to your presenting style. Too technical and over verbose. Every video you do could be edited and tightened down to almost half the current length. If you were providing more dynamic vids, then the timing wouldn't matter a damn - people would tune in to view YOUR viewpoint on whatever car it is, regardless of timeline- within reason. Doug DeMuro for instance, borrows viewers cars AND uses a rental app to acquire cars for content and has over half a million subscribers and many more views per vid than you. Anyhoo, it's just a thought and opinion. Keep up the great work and I'll keep watching - except for the reviews that are just too long and I zone out of half way through! : )
You are certainly entitled to your opinion and I do appreciate the honest feedback. However, there are some things we will respectfully disagree on. Having been doing this for a VERY long time and knowing the ins and outs of the business, It is not an apples to apples comparison. You are not taking into account paid traffic. We have never, and will never buy views and by association, subscribers. Same for Facebook or other social platforms. I respect Doug for what he does and appreciate his quirky excitement over cars. However, and I say this with all due respect, his episodes are longer than mine and frankly, his presentation style and production quality is far less dynamic. But most importantly, AutoTrader is buying traffic for his channel. This is not the only example of a channel that has recently blown up due to *paid traffic*. I am in this for organic, steady and sustainable growth. That is why viewers do reach out for MY viewpoint. Have done for a long time. While I would love to feature certain cars on the show, the difference between myself and others is that I am independent producer and as such, need to be prudent about where I make investments. That is the case in any business. In other words, no one channel can be everything to all people. And this is not just me talking. RUclips has drastically bastardized the Algorithm to heavily favor daily vloggers, newer channels and paid traffic. Myself and every other reputable, non paid, organic traffic car channel you see on RUclips - most of which you have seen me on their podcasts, on their social media, on my social media or on this channel, ALL are experiencing the same thing. Furthermore, it is beyond the car creators you see - this algorithm has been burying channels of all sizes since July of last year. If you watched early episodes in this current season, season 7, you may have noticed that those early episodes were no longer than 10 minutes in length, featured a cold open and were tighter overall. Yes, my already high audience retention shot up even higher. But did it make a difference in views, subscribers or anything else? Not. One. Bit. Again, this ain't just me and a bunch of car RUclips creators. HH3 and other larger RUclipsrs have voiced major concerns about this highly concerning trend on RUclips. We are all in discussions with RUclips to address the issue and, if need be, seek other options. So back to my original point in timing. Before this draconian algorithm, early access to the car made a sizable difference - from say an episode doing 100,000 views to it doing 500,000 views - all on the same cost for us. Now, that difference is even more important. Again, appreciate you watching, appreciate you voicing your opinion and providing honest, constructive feedback. I am always up for a good, respectful dialog. Thank you, Gavin.
"6.14 l per 100 km" WHAT?! 😆 I cannot believe BMW engineers so noobs to waste so much petrol just for charging battery. Well, if this task is resolvable so hard, what a reason at all to buy this electroshit ? Modern diesel EASY makes 4L/100 in a casual ICE. So why all this hype about elec.vehicles at all? Stop cheating w customers, we don't need your SO CALLED "progress" for double money. Make us normal diesel car and stop all these ridiculous "euro norm".
I just got a chance to drive a friend's used 2014. Retired now, but I spent over 40 years in the car industry and had a chance to drive some nice cars. This was the nicest.
Adore it. I am a died in the wool car addict, with a good sports car history. Just buying my wife one of these to replace a GLK. Love the engineering detail. Detest electric cars based on gasoline car platforms. Flat floors, no front 'engine' space. Well done BMW. Unfortunately going to tank in value - always going to be the case when jumping onto the bandwagon early...
When I first saw it in person, it blew my mind. Its fresh for the times.
Design? Love it. It is the spiritual successor to my much loved and (much under-rated) Audi A2. That's high praise.
Simply the best electric car for the money. Period. My first BMW Ive owned. And Im totally sold for life on this car and BMW's
Love the design. Wide doors for easy entry. Because of the frameless doors you can even enter the car in tightly parked spaced by lowering the windows and hunching over to slip into the seats. The design is surprisingly functional. The interior so modular that in theory you should be able to replace and improve materials, including the screens. BMW was initially too lazy marketing the car because they had so many requests for test drives. Big opportunity missed to market this car as a mobility service offer.
Plenty of cargo room with the back seats down too. I've had a dishwasher in full packaging in the back with plenty of room for extra stuff from IKEA.
We bought our i3 specifically for my wife to commute back and forth to work and give our aging MB C230S that we love a rest. However, I find that whether it's going out for the evening, picking up stuff at the lumber yard or a road trip, we choose the i3 over our other three vehicles about 90% of the time. It just does everything better than a piston powered car. And never fails to put a smile on my face when I drive it.
Love the i3. It's funky
I actually love the design and the rationale behind the extender
As a first attempt for a new-breed EV by BMW, I think the design is already very advance for the time being. I test drove two of them one is pure-EV, the other with REX. I tried going in and out of the backseats and was very easy to do so. The backseats had good size and space, I did not feel cramped at all. I love the sound system, the view of the back windows as they are big. I love how fast it just took off at the stoplights! I think BMW will make improvement for the second generation, especially increasing the width of the tires so that it is more capable at cornering, but it was not bad at all, just not the kind of corner-eating BMWs which I had grown accustomed to. It still gave an entertaining ride and the comfort level was quite high. I also noticed that the sitting position was higher than a sedan, so the view ahead was great too. And the self-parking was very fun too, and it worked three times out of the three times I tried. The recycled materials felt odd at first, but then once I started driving, I forgot about them already and it felt natural and I felt good about myself driving something that did good for mother natural. The auto-cruise worked faultlessly as well following the car in front on freeway with no problem. Also, I love the truck, which is big enough for a 50inch TV as it seemed. In a nutshell, I can see the i3 becoming very successful with a longer range (180 - 220 USA miles should suffix for most people), and wider tires, may be 195 instead of 155/175. I think it will sell well. Oh, last but not least, put up more super-charging stations for i3 owners or BMW owners too. It means something unique about owning a BMW EV. I know I am taking a page from Tesla. Hey, as my professor always suggests, "copying something good without harm is virtue!"
A lot of people say this car is ugly i think it looks cooler than 80% of the cars on the road
I like it. The design also means that you sit higher and have a smaller foot print, which are essential when driving in congested European cities, where this car shines.
Saying the range extender is not "designed" for long distances is a bit misleading and insinuates its incapable of this. More correctly its intentional use is a back up to the battery range but it is capable of driving any distance if the driver keeps filling the miniscule tank.
So refill it like every 80 miles?
Currently shopping for one, video helped a lot. Thanks!
The i3 design: it doesn't make my socks go up and down, but I like it because it is distinct and not in a bad way. Too many SUVs carry similar design cues, even the Maserati SUV would be difficult to distinguish without badges.
The interior? I watch RCR, so I love it.
Love the styling. It's fresh and funky.
Carbon fiber is slang for CFRP which is carbon fiber reinforced plastic, so yes it is made of carbon fiber
I like it... love the back doors. Very quick of the mark.
I have just bought a 2019 i3 120Ah / 42Kwh and have just performed a long range test at 10-17C. I started with 100% battery and a predicted range of 158miles on the GOM. I have driven hybrids now for 12 years and I am aware what a light pedal foot has on economy. So off we set on the 84 mile trip with a mix of motorway (60%) A road (40%) . Outbound heading for the coast there's more negative gradients but it will all level up on the return. As this is a max range test I put the car in Eco PRO and turn off the heating/cooling. I get between 10 - 22Kwh/100Km and a light foot also mean that I see quite a bit of regen. When I arrived at my destination I had a GOM range left of ! 130 Miles (84 + 130) = 214 miles.
I charge to 100% again and then on the return when I arrived home the GOM said 100 miles so a return range of 184 miles. I expect these ranges to drop by switching to Comfort and adding some heating however even if these settings suck 20 miles of range that's still 194 and 168 miles so taking the worst case 168miles that's very close to what BMW expect this car to achieve and by switching to ECO PRO 180 is also possible for most of the year and for most journeys. Remember my home journey was full of positive gradients to reach the destination at 333m.
So with this I have confidence this car can easily achieve its 160 mile range as quoted under these temps which in the UK is pretty standard. I am well impressed with this car it drives likes its on rails and accelerates like a rocket. :-)
I love this design. I do think it looks futuristic, but, good also. Good in a different kind of way to what we're used to, no doubt, but, honestly, it's moving the goal posts onwards.
I've owned my i3 for the past 3 months....have to say, the looks at some angles are 'challenging' however, that said every other car I have driven since feels antiquated. I honestly think I will never buy/lease another ICE....instant torque is addictive, the handling is interesting at times but generally fun, and the way it just demolishes most cars up to 40mph off the line is hilarious!
I would urge anyone to get out there and try one on an extended test drive - if this is the entry level for BMW i cars, I cannot wait to see what the i5 will be like!
Rob Morgan how has the car been treating you since this comment
I love the design. I just test drove an i3 as I am thinking about what car I will replace our 2014 320xi lease that ends in September. My kids Hate the i3 and want me to get another 320. I hate having to go to the gas station and I love the power and one pedal driving of the i3
You may be disappointed with the small front truck ( Frunk ) but if you live uptown like I do, and dine out regularly like I do, you will likely love the minimal amount of car that is in front of and behind the wheels. This design feature makes this car very easy to maneuver and park in tight spaces. Mega, Tera and Giga World are the three trim packages. I've never heard one referred to as a Pterodactyl so that may be a regional thing.
I love that you can't help yourself when saying don't lease cars lol
Love it. Wife shopping for one now. And yes I drive 2016 mustang gt premium performance pkg. She however replacing her mazda mx5 for this. Design is really appealing.
I like this version of the i3. It's a bit sleeker than last year's model. I had a 2012 X3 xdrive 28i.
I kinda like it. Its funky & different from your average EV, but it have to be in a different color. Black make it look chunky … chunky, but funky.
The i3 & i8 are a technological marvel from an engineering stand point. BMW went to great lengths to develop them.
Yep, not a fan of the steering wheel either. It just screams Crown Vic! Same with the S-class, I hate the 2-spoke steering wheel.
As always, excellent work M!
Hey George, my wife just signed the papers on a Chevy Bolt. The car should be delivered from California to Nashville sometime in the next week and a half. Let me know if you want to discuss it.
i like the compact look
I like the i3, local bmw dealer let me take it for a weekend, but couldn't justify cost on a vehicle that could have issues going up grapevine in cali. after reading a few stories of power being cut by on board computer, that would be a little disconcerting.
The issues with power limitation when on REx were exclusive to the US due to software limits required by the BEVx designation. Basically the REX motor could only kick in when the battery was only 6% full... which given the power output of the REx motor (25kW) and an electric motor that could require five times that amount of power at peak output it was a bit like trying to refill a fire engine's near empty water tank with a garden hose while it's crew was trying to put out a fire.
It was easily solved by coding the i3 to it's european setting which allowed the REx motor to kick in at 75% full or lower and with the newer 33kWh i3 they've slightly upped the REx output and added additional hidden buffer battery capacity below 0% indicated.
So TLDR, not an issue any more.
Great design. Kenaff is awesome.
The carbon fiber poly matrix is HEMP (Cannabis Sativa). That's correct it's a Potmobile!
Love the design !!
Love this review!
Any chance of a head-to-head with the Tesla Model 3 when you get your hands on one? They're both at a similar price point and will be the most affordable fully electric cars on the market.
I love the i3 so much I have 2.
Nice looking car 🚗
Dimitrij Fedorov not
I love the design. "Carriage Doors" (can we please stop calling them suicide doors?) are actually much better for access than conventional doors. Rolls-Royce could use any design they wanted, and they all have carriage doors, except the coupes of course. It's mainly a ladies car, so I think the better rear access and deeper rear windows is popular with kids.
in several places in Europe you can upgrade the Bmw i3 battery but in my opinion the best is impexneth from the Netherlands and they have original 120ah Bmw batteries, not foldable and the price is around 6000 eur
As far as EVs is concerned. It's cute. Looks 100 times better than the current Nissan Leaf.
When I look at this car and stand next to it. The first thing that comes to mind is small cars like the Mini Cooper and Fiat, IQ, Fortwo. If I had to choose...I would rather drive the BMW i3 full electric with upgraded battery. Why? Because the other cars I mentioned are too little for me and sit too low to the ground. The BMW i3 is way roomer and very comfortable and drives extremely well. If I'm gonna sit low to the ground it better damn well be a Porsche 911 Targa 4S.
I used to have reservations about the design until I understood that this car should look different since it is built from the ground up. Like why did cameras have to be rectangle, while there was no more film to put in? This car exhibits its design intent! Eco Megacity Car/Comfort.
In this class of vehicles (size) its the most modern attemp of Design. Its designed like an electric car can be designed. The other alternatives in the class look more like a more aerodynamic optimized Version of a classic petrol car. Its from the whole concept constructed and thought like an electric car. The best energy is the one you dont need. So with the modern material tech, you can save weight and reach the same targets with a smaller battery. This also means you save weight again on the batteries and make the car more effective. The materials are also choosen to be environment friendly and easy to recycle. The Battery tech is more modern than in a tesla. - So overall a cool car - in that segment. For the heart and soul you drive somehting else, but for what it should be - its perfect.
@motomantv At 3:40, did you say one should or shouldn’t lease cars?
It has some good looking angles and some bad ones - the thin tires don’t help. But I like it.
Great review. How are the back seats ? Can adults fit back there ?
Kumo and I do a graphic demonstration in tomorrow's FIRST DRIVE REVIEW. Come back then.
Back seats are better than anything in the same class. Almost like an SUV.
Love it.
This model is called BMW i3 REx (where 'REx' simly stands for... (drumroll) 'Range Extender', nothing to do with any dinosaurs, buddy)👌🏼😂🖖🏼
Well done.
Hi MotoMan. Let's put it in that way this car have a bipolar disorder, it's like the Beast and the Beauty - ish. On the outside is not very pretty but it is pretty quick. On the inside it's much prettier than outside but the ambiance sensation is the strong point of this little-big car.
All the intercontinental freighting of the carbon polymer material - doesn't that defeat the whole "eco" ethos & point of the car?
I dunno... trucks, boats - they don't combust on hopes n dreams now do they?
There have been actual cost models done on this very question. Container ships carrying huge volumes of materials add VERY little to the landed cost. Truck and overland transport end up being comparable to other materials - everything that goes into a car gets sourced from somewhere.
The total production emissions for the i3 are about 25% below a comparable sized car conventionally built. That's including HV battery manufacturing and raw materials. Most EVs have production emissions about 10-15% above combustion vehicles but on typical grid energy mixes and mileage that's offset in the first three to twelve months of driving.
Ah cool I'd love to read the report or article if you have it & see how they do their strategy - sounds like there's lots that can be learned from them
Jalopnik has a good summary with a link to the official report: jalopnik.com/the-bmw-i3-is-officially-much-greener-than-almost-every-1462999376
BMW really pushed a lot of new processes into the i3 production line. On my i3 for example the clear coated CFRP roof is made from rewoven offcuts of CFRP from the frame (the 2016 i3 swapped this for aluminium due to crash safety requirements in the US with the moonroof).
People living in 2013 about to arrive with their "this isn't BMW" comments...
I like this car. 👍🏼
fully loaded boi
The brakes are not technically regenerating. The electric motor is generating when you let off the accelerator. So the common phrase regenerative braking should be instead, regenerative deceleration. I have a 2016 BEV on an assumed lease... it is a fantastic car for $215 per month. Plan to buy a used 2017 in a year or so.
I like it, well i guess I like it, can i really like it, maybe it will grow on me, I somewhat like it I guess. But nonetheless it's fun to drive in the city and on B roads.
Cheers Oliver
I do like the clamshell doors. reminds me of the Honda Element.
I can't decide on which exterior color looks "richer", white or black?
If you live in the south, go with white and black for north.
What a dumb blanket statement about leasing. There are many pros to leasing and often times on electric cars the lease deals are quite aggressive.
Also, the didn't "lop off" part of the gas tank. It's all programming. Many owners have had their i3s reprogrammed to allow full use of the gas tank.
Justin Waters ^^high lease payments got you hurt bro
Arven Tahtyan can you read, bro?? I have issues with BS statements not grounded in reality. Like for instance, his assertion that the door panels are made in part of hemp. Hint: they aren't.
Leasing is the MOST expensive way to acquire a vehicle. Full stop. Yes, it is highly convenient but you pay DEARLY for that convenience which has a HUGE negative impact on your overall net worth. And the tax write off excuse also doesn't hold water no matter what fancy accountants say. All reputable financial pubs agree as to the high and hidden costs of leasing. We will be doing a 'Why you should never lease a car' episode in the near future. More short term, there is an #AskMotoManTV segment coming up on Sunday that demonstrates a very good example of why not to lease even an EV. Bottomline, if you want convenience and willing to pay through the nose for it, then lease. If you want to avoid having to say 'Welcome to Walmart' in your golden year, avoid leasing.
+MotoManTV I've never leased but when you actually break down the numbers...it usually comes to the same price IF, you were going to sell the car after 3 years. The leasing gives you the option of trading in the car , buying you don't have that option. It's not as black and white such as leasing sucks or always buy. Every deal is different. And if anyone was truly worried about just financials, they would get a cheap Honda and call it a day and invest the money.
+MotoManTV in either case, love the videos, you do a great job of showing us the car, NOT yelling at us, and are pleasant to listen to and I watch every new and old video you have put out . Great job!
The silhouette is good, but not a fan when you add in all the detail
Yes you should be leasing THIS car 3:39...
REx has nothing to do with dinosaurs. REx is range extender.
It's ugly as dino, so Rex is right word. :)
The BMW i3 should've been a sport coupe of some kind, like how the first Tesla was a roadster.
I dont get how the I3 has 33kwh but only can go 183km but the Ioniq has a 28kwh and goes 220km despite it also being a larger car? aerodynamics?
Yup, makes a big difference at any speed above about 80km/h.
Design-wise, it's hard for me to believe how much more I like this car when it's blacked out and sitting on 20" wheels. The flagship white/black or blue/black schemes which are so striking on the i8 absolutely do not work for me on this car, and something about the contrasting panels masks its similarity to other unusual hatchbacks that I do like such as the A2 or B-class. But in black, at least in video since I don't think I've ever seen a black one in person, I can get into it. Still not sure how I feel about the interior and definitely not a fan of the steering wheel, especially as it is from the same company that makes the current M/M-Sport wheel which I think might be the best thing ever put inside a car.
I hate front wheel drive, so I love this car
you mentioned really quickly that you should lease cars. can you explain why
Will do in a very graphic way in an upcoming episode.
The steering wheel is horrendous but overall, it doesn't look that bad for what it is.
Rex is bmw speak for range extender
the rex was never connected to the wheels
I kind of love and hate the design at the same time.
Its cool looking, to some extent. And at the same time, its looks like I dont know what.
What's actually stopped me from buying one (here in Sweden) has been the fact that our dogs will not fit in the boot, and the lack of range. I need 300 mile range in the real world, in -30 degrees celsius, as I travel a lot all year around. And we refuse to have 2 cars in our family - so the EV option has been out of the question. We do not have the money to burn on a Tesla either... and we wouldnt spend that money on a car even if we could.
5putput yeah... but it is kind of long way between gasstations in the north. I drive a lot in lappland, and it can be very far between stations. Moreover, the I3 REX tend to go into a mode where your speed is restricted, when the battery goes low. That stands for the REX as well, since the generator wont keep up at high speeds. Then you have to limp along with the big rigs, howering around 45 miles an hour. Wish put huge amount of time on an allready long drive. And do not count on getting full heating when that happens.
I would love to have an EV. But they are simply not ready to stand against cars with combustion engines outside the citys yet. At least not to an economical person.
I understand that my driving is not what most people use their cars for.
But the fact is, that neither in the US or here in Sweden, people do not buy cars that cover 99% of their driving. People buy cars to cover that last bit you could live without. That's why pickup trucks are so popular in the US, and that is why SUV's is so popular just avout anywhere. Most people do not need a 4x4 at all. But it could come in handy sometime in our life, hence we buy 4x4.
The same goes for BMW i3, and other EV cars: people buy cars that cover that one time every year you drive for hours and hours to meet the parents-in-law at the hollidays.
Eric, that's exactly the point. Why would someone that can "run the numbers" buy a huge vehicle that they use for a 30 mile daily commute? It costs more to maintain, fuel, and buy. It also loud, oily, and inefficient. (Not to mention the CO2.) Most families have two vehicles anyway - so you don't have to rent to go on a long trip unless you want to. Having a big car, and a small car makes financial and common sense.
And you club baby seals on the weekend, right? ;-)
There are plenty of people that think like you do Larry. There are also plenty of people that think the USA never landed on the moon. :-)
Actually, we call it Moses Lake rather than Lake Moses! ;)
Other then the 2 series only bimmer I'd buy
''Tis one electric vehicle I'd consider buying and can afford not that i8 it's way out of my price range!
You keep saying that's the fully loaded model like it's good..the 20inch wheels are the worst for this car, leather seats are crap after a while and go baggy a d the other seats just look better
This is like Smart for two. They wanted it to be practical even though it will look weird, but it doesn't look bad either, just different. It is very well adapted to city driving. For better rolling resistance they chose big diameter. Wider wheels have actually less rolling resistance but higher airdrag which is in fact not important for city driving. However, had they chosen wider wheels, they would've been heavier and put more stress on suspension and steering. The slightly wider wheels for the s model are ok. The grip of these slim tires is not that good and the esp cuts the power quickly but some premium tires could improve it except they will be probably harder to find. Even though the tires are narrow, they won't wear down quickly because the diameter is large.
Also the motor does quite a good job propelling the car pretty fast, you will feel the acceleration up to over 80kph which is very nice.
Anyway since it's not designed for a racetrack, the car is perfectly fine.
I wish they made on the same platform same engine a small 2 door coupe sports car with tougher suspension and normal wheels something like the i8 but on the i3 budget.
I like the look.. it's really the sucide doors that does it for me
I'd say the wheels are to big for the design. But that is the least of it [looks] issues.
They made them that big to increase the size of the contact patch with the thin tires. So it reduces some contributors to rolling resistance and aerodynamic drag from the wheels and yet gives them a bigger contact patch than a Mini Cooper S gets from it's much wider 16s. And yet they still have to electronically dial back the torque to stop it doing a burnout every time you brush the accelerator pedal.
However better I think may make it, if it looks bad they will lose sales.
The new i3S due to be unveiled in september has wider tires... mainly to handle the extra power.
cros13 brum brum
Jumping around the raw materials to manufacturing all over the globe, from Japan to USA back to 2 places in Germany, isn't exactly efficient or environmentally friendly.
BMW would do better to just get the materials raw material and make the CFRP themselves in Leipzig.
Not only would that reduce the cost down further it would save a few hundred gallons of diesel per car shipping it all over the place.
And considering how amazingly environmental and sophisticated their Leipzig plant is, i'm sure they could do that without much effort on their part.
review lexis LC 500 in red
Reviewing our Lexus relationship at this point. As such, all Lexus production currently on hold.
The steering wheels on the wrong side 😆
Looks nice, except the back.
it's grown on me
I don`t really care for the rear window dip. If BMW just carried the sight line from the doors back I think they would have sold more units
I love the whole concept and give BMW much credit for making a unique electric car, but it looks absolutely hideous. The worst part is the ridiculous, narrow bicycle tires it has. It looks like a shrunken van on wagon wheels. The rear doors aren't "suicide" doors in the classic sense because the rear passengers can't open them to get out unless the front doors are opened first. The whole thing seems very cheap compared to a Volt--or even a Bolt. It just has the BMW brand cache associated with it. 👎
Even here in California, you don't see too many of these things. I'll happily stick with my ELR-which is even more rare to see!
Moses (biblical) Lake, WA
Spokane, WA
60-94ah is not a 50% gain.
cfcreative , no it isn’t, it is slightly more than a 50% gain. 60 plus 30 (50% of 60) = 90. So saying a 50% gain is a fair statement.
this the best car out, everything else sucks. The 2025 3 series is gonna shut the car industry down
can these car companies not make a ev that looks like a normal car fuck... I would buy one then
The hemp reference was too corny.
I like the design but not in black and BMW should be ashame using leather in an EV.
its an option. I like the wool cloth instead.
Moses Lake
But I digress.
As a range extender vehicle, the Volt is a far better car. As an electric vehicle, the Bolt is a far better car.
Like the exterior in single color.... HATE the goofy old fashioned look of the fabrics used in the non-leather vehicles. Is it me... or did BMW change the FRUNK lid? Didn't it lift off before?
Who would buy this over many other better electric cars in 2017 is beyond me???
Just a bit of advise on your videos. Stay on point. You add too much jibber jabber bs. Get to the point and you’ll make soooooo much better videos!
do a tesla review
Don't currently feature Tesla on the show. Have reached out MANY times but for some reason, while Elon's people are able to send vehicles to space, they cannot return phone calls or e-mails. Hint taken.
+MotoManTV Couldn't you just borrow one from an owner?
Doesn't work that way. Good, bad or indifferent, timeliness of the cars we feature on the show is very much tied to our financial well being. Have a look at the comments in this episode as to a bit more of how our business works ruclips.net/video/Tkyh2HE416k/видео.html
+MotoManTV I think that is more tied to your presenting style. Too technical and over verbose. Every video you do could be edited and tightened down to almost half the current length. If you were providing more dynamic vids, then the timing wouldn't matter a damn - people would tune in to view YOUR viewpoint on whatever car it is, regardless of timeline- within reason. Doug DeMuro for instance, borrows viewers cars AND uses a rental app to acquire cars for content and has over half a million subscribers and many more views per vid than you. Anyhoo, it's just a thought and opinion. Keep up the great work and I'll keep watching - except for the reviews that are just too long and I zone out of half way through! : )
You are certainly entitled to your opinion and I do appreciate the honest feedback. However, there are some things we will respectfully disagree on. Having been doing this for a VERY long time and knowing the ins and outs of the business, It is not an apples to apples comparison. You are not taking into account paid traffic. We have never, and will never buy views and by association, subscribers. Same for Facebook or other social platforms. I respect Doug for what he does and appreciate his quirky excitement over cars. However, and I say this with all due respect, his episodes are longer than mine and frankly, his presentation style and production quality is far less dynamic. But most importantly, AutoTrader is buying traffic for his channel. This is not the only example of a channel that has recently blown up due to *paid traffic*. I am in this for organic, steady and sustainable growth. That is why viewers do reach out for MY viewpoint. Have done for a long time. While I would love to feature certain cars on the show, the difference between myself and others is that I am independent producer and as such, need to be prudent about where I make investments. That is the case in any business. In other words, no one channel can be everything to all people. And this is not just me talking. RUclips has drastically bastardized the Algorithm to heavily favor daily vloggers, newer channels and paid traffic. Myself and every other reputable, non paid, organic traffic car channel you see on RUclips - most of which you have seen me on their podcasts, on their social media, on my social media or on this channel, ALL are experiencing the same thing. Furthermore, it is beyond the car creators you see - this algorithm has been burying channels of all sizes since July of last year. If you watched early episodes in this current season, season 7, you may have noticed that those early episodes were no longer than 10 minutes in length, featured a cold open and were tighter overall. Yes, my already high audience retention shot up even higher. But did it make a difference in views, subscribers or anything else? Not. One. Bit. Again, this ain't just me and a bunch of car RUclips creators. HH3 and other larger RUclipsrs have voiced major concerns about this highly concerning trend on RUclips. We are all in discussions with RUclips to address the issue and, if need be, seek other options. So back to my original point in timing. Before this draconian algorithm, early access to the car made a sizable difference - from say an episode doing 100,000 views to it doing 500,000 views - all on the same cost for us. Now, that difference is even more important. Again, appreciate you watching, appreciate you voicing your opinion and providing honest, constructive feedback. I am always up for a good, respectful dialog. Thank you, Gavin.
Carbon Fiber is made in Moses Lake, not Lake Moses silly.
"6.14 l per 100 km" WHAT?! 😆 I cannot believe BMW engineers so noobs to waste so much petrol just for charging battery. Well, if this task is resolvable so hard, what a reason at all to buy this electroshit ? Modern diesel EASY makes 4L/100 in a casual ICE. So why all this hype about elec.vehicles at all? Stop cheating w customers, we don't need your SO CALLED "progress" for double money. Make us normal diesel car and stop all these ridiculous "euro norm".
tsla