I was an electric car skeptic for a while. As soon as I drove this car, I became an electric enthusiast. This, as titled here, has no comprise. Very well handled technology, virtually no body roll, great handling, a feel of space in the cabin and, over everything else, a true solution for the tree hugger I am. I. Love. It. Great review!
It's a rare instance that someone can quickly and concisely summarize and review a vehicle. Thank you to Jill, she has done an excellent job. It was this video that sealed the deal for me to purchase my own BMW i3. Describing this vehicle as the perfect city commuter vehicle was exactly what I needed to make my final decision.
This car is terrific...we are located in Phoenix with solar panels and with the range of 100 miles we get by with even level one charging. The car is so comfortable, roomy..visuals are super, and performance is a wonder. Just love driving it.
I agree - an excellent review. Clear, succinct and covering virtually all the important points differentiating the i3 from other electric vehicles. Well done!
There IS a MOTOR in there! A more effecient motor than a combustion one. Over 90% efficiency, over 35% out off the ECI!!! And I like the noise you can hear slightly. Sounds like Luke Skywalkers X Wing...
Jill! I know exactly what you're talking about with the brakes! I think most BMWs slow themselves like that and not just the electric ones. I've driven an X5 and it felt the same way. Really strange!
Is there a secret equilibrium between quality of design and environmental impact that we don't know about?. Is it really that hard to design a car that looks half acceptable and is friendly to the environment at the same time?.
+Wim Bonestroo I guess it's a matter of taste. When I first saw the car at the car show, I immediately fell in love while my friend was laughing at the car. It stands out, that's for sure. But I, for one, absolutely love the look.
+Jérôme I suppose it is a matter of taste, it appears an odd collection of body parts that started life on different cars of for no apparent reason ended up being used on the i3. The back and front appear to have been designed in two different places. I am sure technically it is a very good car, if not the best available at the moment, but as far as I am concerned it is best driven in the dark .............
+John Benton With the traction control, I have absolutely no problem in the show. And I live in Quebec so we kind of know about snow. ;) Even better: with the very flat floor of this car, you get out of snow much easier than petrol car that have tons of pipes and wires getting stuck. It's actually the first winter I had without getting stuck once.
It's not for every wallet, that's for sure. Good news is, tough: Beemers value drop quickly and used i3s are at a more reasonable price. Plus: i3s are much more reliable than other Beemers. I personally didn't have a single problem yet.
That's because the motor creates a whine on AM frequencies. Tesla doesn't have AM either. No problem, I just stream those AM news stations and talk radio. Comes in a lot clearer that way. When coding your car, one can turn on the AM radio function.
Ugh 160km range is pretty bad and that's not real-world, I wonder how much the range extender increases that. The closest cities I need to visit are 200km and 400km away, Canada is big and wide open. $40,000 plus is way too much for me.
BMW says you'll get between 290-340km depending on your mode, so it would cover some of those destinations. I see the i3 as a stepping stone -- it's an important move toward having EVs that hold up in real-world driving, but it won't satisfy everyone just yet. I'm curious to see what Tesla does with its first mainstream electric car (due in a few years).
+luis eduardo rodriguez chavez That's about where I'm supposed to be. I'm far enough back from the airbag but I have full movement in my arms. To find a safe seating position, keep your shoulder blades against the back of the seat. Now put your wrist over the top of the steering wheel and make sure you still have a bend in your elbow. Push every pedal right to the floor. If you can do all of that, you're in the right position.
I'm see video on RUclips same car don't wanna start. the gy waiting for 4 days for service. Plus to expensive. better 20k gas car like Ford focus. That car needs charge every 2 days and your energy bills double.
+Dario Milardovic I don't know where you come from but a charge costs roughly around 0,30$ in Canada. So I hardly get how your electricity bill can double. As for maintenance, I never had any problem whatsoever. Even better: I can set a maintenance from my iDrive connection while driving my car when my oil is getting old (I don't even have to think about it). So I don't know where you got that information but I don't relate as an owner.
Love The New i3 Full Elec _ Either In Dark Charcoal, or Matte White/ Matte Black 2-Tone Exterior. And Either In Black/ Grey or Fabric/ Leather Interior. Custom 19in Asanti or 19in OZ Racing Wheels in Very Dark Red or Bright Silver For Winter Wheels. And Bridgestone Low Profile Tires, And Bridgestone Blizzaks For Winter Driving! The Winter's In Buffalo, New York Require Expert Winter Driving Skills For Certain!
OK so I know someone that just bought one of these fugly looking cars. Sure it is faster off the line by about a second over my volt in the 0-60. Big deal. We took the cars on a cruise through the mountains in REx mode' I was flying up the hills, no power limitation, and once the battery was flat on the i3 his speed dropped to under 50 KmH, and in a 90 zone that is darn right dangerous. Sorry BMW, I will stick to my volt, and the fella I know that bought one admitted that it is not a highway car for cross country travel. The Chevy volt on the other hand is perfect for cross country driving, and I have done it 3 times in 3 years.
***** If you have never driven one of these horrible cars in the mountains then you do not understand what I am talking about. The i3 has no mountain mode. The volt has a mode called mountain mode. You manually enter it a few miles BEFORE you start climbing steep hills. It adjusts the engine speed to provide more electricity than is being consumed, to place a reserve charge of 10-12 miles in the battery. This is over and above the power that is being used to sustain level cruising. When you start climbing, much more power is required. Even though there is always a reserve left in the battery, once that reserve is done, your max speed is limited to how much power the REX engine can produce. When going up hill, the REX generated power is augmented by the reserve in the battery. Once that battery is done then only the rex engine sustains your speed. On the volt, with it's 1.4 liter engine that speed is about 60MPH if mountain mode is not entered and a large hill is encountered that totally exhausts the battery. Fortunately the volt has a mountain mode, so I can fly up hills at full throttle, up to 100MPH no problem. The person I know what the i3, was stuck down at between 27 and 30MPH on those long hills, because he ran out of reserve, and that little 600cc 2 banger only puts out very little power. And I would rate your Iphone a 0 out of 10 too, because Apple products suck. Get a real phone, get a Blackberry. Once you go Black, you will never go back!
***** No rage in my eyes, but here they are marketing a car that falls short of a real car. Had they done their homework, and for what they are charging they should have, they would have put mountain mode on it. I could see myself driving one, but not with the limitations it has, and the same goes for Tesla. I almost bought one of those, but I came to my senses, as superchargers are not the answer when there is a line up to use them every time, as is happening right now. Don't write Blackberry obit just yet. They are on the way back. They run all the popular android apps just fine, and don't bend when you put them in your pocket. Sorry I had to go there.. "Bendgate"
***** Well we agree on one thing, Iphone's suck! As to BMW's history, I have only owned 1 BMW. I had a 2005 325i. It was absolutely the worst car I ever owned. I had nothing but trouble with that car, and traded it in on the Volt. Yes I know, I took a slight performance down grade, but not by much. It is a blast to drive, as much as the 325 was, and it is plenty fast enough for me. In the 3 years I have had it, there has been no problems what so ever. The oil was changed at the 2 year anniversary (which is the time change interval unless the computer says otherwise.) The 325i had 1 electrical problem after another. The dealer kept blaming it on mice getting under the hood and chewing the wires. Of course every time Mickey got hungry and chowed down on some wires it cost me 1,000 to fix. Not covered by warranty! 6 repairs in 4 years at over a grand each was enough for me. I took a bath when I unloaded it, but that was the best decision I could have made. I will never own another German car. The Volt was my first GM product, and I couldn't be happier. My dad owned 2 Mercedes diesels. The second one went super nova and the engine exploded (runaway). That was his last German car too. Don't know what all the hype is about them.
+john public It's actually wool fabric seats (no animal killing) and the tan is 100% natural. The wood on the dash is eucalyptus, the lightest and fastest growing plant on the planet, that replaces hard plastic requiring petrol. If you're looking for a green car that is from dust to dust, this one actually makes sense from point A to point Z.
Says someone with a Ferrari as his Avatar ;). Which car is really worth it's investment? Every VW Up can take you from A to B for $10.000. Nevertheless there are enough people who buy a BMW 3 series or a Audi A6, Mercedes E class or even a Ferrari or Rolls Royce. So why not an i3?
I was an electric car skeptic for a while. As soon as I drove this car, I became an electric enthusiast. This, as titled here, has no comprise. Very well handled technology, virtually no body roll, great handling, a feel of space in the cabin and, over everything else, a true solution for the tree hugger I am.
I. Love. It.
Great review!
It's a rare instance that someone can quickly and concisely summarize and review a vehicle. Thank you to Jill, she has done an excellent job. It was this video that sealed the deal for me to purchase my own BMW i3. Describing this vehicle as the perfect city commuter vehicle was exactly what I needed to make my final decision.
Yes. I agree
This car is terrific...we are located in Phoenix with solar panels and with the range of 100 miles we get by with even level one charging. The car is so comfortable, roomy..visuals are super, and performance is a wonder. Just love driving it.
I have to say I quite like the look of this car. This was a fantastic review.
+Mathieu Riesling
I find it more attractive than some other BMWs.
+Mathieu Riesling It's edgy and different but not Pontiac Aztek different.
I must add that bmw has really done it with a true green car..
electric eucalyptus and other natural resources are a plus.
I agree - an excellent review. Clear, succinct and covering virtually all the important points differentiating the i3 from other electric vehicles. Well done!
I like your presentation style. Really well made video and excellent opinions and facts about the car. Good job.
I just purchased a 2017 I3 range extender and I love it
Great review. Thank you so much!
Great review! Thanks for honest journalism
This is a great review. Love that you are driving a 'Panda' version of the car. I have a REX Panda in production and I can't wait! Awesome little car!
car looks great
Watching this in 2019, and you can actually get them pretty cheap now. Average price for a 2015 or '16 with range extender, about $26,000 CDN.
Now its down to $17k. Just bought mine last week. Lovin it. 👍🏻
Great review. Well done.
Great car- much more impressive in person.
Excellent review!
very good review!! Go on like that !!!
Jill, you give the best reviews.
There IS a MOTOR in there! A more effecient motor than a combustion one. Over 90% efficiency, over 35% out off the ECI!!! And I like the noise you can hear slightly. Sounds like Luke Skywalkers X Wing...
This is the best i3 review...
My wife was right women are just better at everything communicative. The best calm, relaxing and informative review I've seen.
Jill! I know exactly what you're talking about with the brakes! I think most BMWs slow themselves like that and not just the electric ones. I've driven an X5 and it felt the same way. Really strange!
How will the extreme cold weather effect battery life etc ?? !!
Atleast the heater is instant anda heated windscreen saves energy too !!!
Finally an awesome car with tech and performance and NO animal skin (leather) inside!! Way to go BMW! I bought one with the full cloth DEKA interior.
The BMW i3 - no compromise to disappointment in BMW.
Clearly explained!
awsome car...well any one knows how much is the maintenance cost?..i know its an electric car but still bmw service and maintenance is expensive..
Rex can be made to come on earlier like EU versions
Is there a secret equilibrium between quality of design and environmental impact that we don't know about?. Is it really that hard to design a car that looks half acceptable and is friendly to the environment at the same time?.
+Wim Bonestroo I guess it's a matter of taste. When I first saw the car at the car show, I immediately fell in love while my friend was laughing at the car. It stands out, that's for sure. But I, for one, absolutely love the look.
+Jérôme I suppose it is a matter of taste, it appears an odd collection of body parts that started life on different cars of for no apparent reason ended up being used on the i3. The back and front appear to have been designed in two different places. I am sure technically it is a very good car, if not the best available at the moment, but as far as I am concerned it is best driven in the dark .............
It's not carbon fiber; it is plastic reinforced with carbon fiber - 80 percent plastic and 20 percent carbon fiber.
aluminium lol🤣🤣
It's a nice little car, but by the time you've added all those 'extras' it comes in t a very high price. Plus RWD is hopeless in the snow.
+John Benton With the traction control, I have absolutely no problem in the show. And I live in Quebec so we kind of know about snow. ;)
Even better: with the very flat floor of this car, you get out of snow much easier than petrol car that have tons of pipes and wires getting stuck. It's actually the first winter I had without getting stuck once.
Traction control, while being essential in slippery conditions, is not an option with any Beemer.
Of course, it ain't an option: it's standard on every i3 model.
I should bloody well think so at that price. My house cost less!
It's not for every wallet, that's for sure. Good news is, tough: Beemers value drop quickly and used i3s are at a more reasonable price. Plus: i3s are much more reliable than other Beemers. I personally didn't have a single problem yet.
No AM radio
That's because the motor creates a whine on AM frequencies. Tesla doesn't have AM either. No problem, I just stream those AM news stations and talk radio. Comes in a lot clearer that way. When coding your car, one can turn on the AM radio function.
Ugh 160km range is pretty bad and that's not real-world, I wonder how much the range extender increases that. The closest cities I need to visit are 200km and 400km away, Canada is big and wide open. $40,000 plus is way too much for me.
If price 30k with a 200km range, could be interesting.
BMW says you'll get between 290-340km depending on your mode, so it would cover some of those destinations.
I see the i3 as a stepping stone -- it's an important move toward having EVs that hold up in real-world driving, but it won't satisfy everyone just yet. I'm curious to see what Tesla does with its first mainstream electric car (due in a few years).
the 290-340km...where did you get that info? It does not match the info of their official site..
Dinu G If you go to the Build & Price option, it'll show you the estimated ranges for both the base model and the range-extended variant.
Aurelian
Oh ok I see ^^, thanks. Still pretty expensive!
Your seating position was driving me crazy the distance of your arms/chest to the steering seems to close! Does not seems SAFE! Just saying
+luis eduardo rodriguez chavez That's about where I'm supposed to be. I'm far enough back from the airbag but I have full movement in my arms. To find a safe seating position, keep your shoulder blades against the back of the seat. Now put your wrist over the top of the steering wheel and make sure you still have a bend in your elbow. Push every pedal right to the floor. If you can do all of that, you're in the right position.
+luis eduardo rodriguez chavez Wide Angel Camera Lense, i'm guessing that is the reason for your perception.
I'm see video on RUclips same car don't wanna start. the gy waiting for 4 days for service. Plus to expensive. better 20k gas car like Ford focus. That car needs charge every 2 days and your energy bills double.
+Dario Milardovic I don't know where you come from but a charge costs roughly around 0,30$ in Canada. So I hardly get how your electricity bill can double. As for maintenance, I never had any problem whatsoever. Even better: I can set a maintenance from my iDrive connection while driving my car when my oil is getting old (I don't even have to think about it).
So I don't know where you got that information but I don't relate as an owner.
Love The New i3 Full Elec _ Either In Dark Charcoal, or Matte White/ Matte Black 2-Tone Exterior. And Either In Black/ Grey or Fabric/ Leather Interior. Custom 19in Asanti or 19in OZ Racing Wheels in Very Dark Red or Bright Silver For Winter Wheels. And Bridgestone Low Profile Tires, And Bridgestone Blizzaks For Winter Driving! The Winter's In Buffalo, New York Require Expert Winter Driving Skills For Certain!
OK so I know someone that just bought one of these fugly looking cars. Sure it is faster off the line by about a second over my volt in the 0-60. Big deal. We took the cars on a cruise through the mountains in REx mode' I was flying up the hills, no power limitation, and once the battery was flat on the i3 his speed dropped to under 50 KmH, and in a 90 zone that is darn right dangerous.
Sorry BMW, I will stick to my volt, and the fella I know that bought one admitted that it is not a highway car for cross country travel. The Chevy volt on the other hand is perfect for cross country driving, and I have done it 3 times in 3 years.
*****
If you have never driven one of these horrible cars in the mountains then you do not understand what I am talking about. The i3 has no mountain mode.
The volt has a mode called mountain mode. You manually enter it a few miles BEFORE you start climbing steep hills. It adjusts the engine speed to provide more electricity than is being consumed, to place a reserve charge of 10-12 miles in the battery. This is over and above the power that is being used to sustain level cruising.
When you start climbing, much more power is required. Even though there is always a reserve left in the battery, once that reserve is done, your max speed is limited to how much power the REX engine can produce.
When going up hill, the REX generated power is augmented by the reserve in the battery. Once that battery is done then only the rex engine sustains your speed. On the volt, with it's 1.4 liter engine that speed is about 60MPH if mountain mode is not entered and a large hill is encountered that totally exhausts the battery.
Fortunately the volt has a mountain mode, so I can fly up hills at full throttle, up to 100MPH no problem.
The person I know what the i3, was stuck down at between 27 and 30MPH on those long hills, because he ran out of reserve, and that little 600cc 2 banger only puts out very little power.
And I would rate your Iphone a 0 out of 10 too, because Apple products suck. Get a real phone, get a Blackberry. Once you go Black, you will never go back!
*****
No rage in my eyes, but here they are marketing a car that falls short of a real car.
Had they done their homework, and for what they are charging they should have, they would have put mountain mode on it. I could see myself driving one, but not with the limitations it has, and the same goes for Tesla. I almost bought one of those, but I came to my senses, as superchargers are not the answer when there is a line up to use them every time, as is happening right now.
Don't write Blackberry obit just yet. They are on the way back. They run all the popular android apps just fine, and don't bend when you put them in your pocket. Sorry I had to go there.. "Bendgate"
*****
Well we agree on one thing, Iphone's suck!
As to BMW's history, I have only owned 1 BMW. I had a 2005 325i. It was absolutely the worst car I ever owned. I had nothing but trouble with that car, and traded it in on the Volt. Yes I know, I took a slight performance down grade, but not by much. It is a blast to drive, as much as the 325 was, and it is plenty fast enough for me. In the 3 years I have had it, there has been no problems what so ever. The oil was changed at the 2 year anniversary (which is the time change interval unless the computer says otherwise.)
The 325i had 1 electrical problem after another. The dealer kept blaming it on mice getting under the hood and chewing the wires. Of course every time Mickey got hungry and chowed down on some wires it cost me 1,000 to fix. Not covered by warranty! 6 repairs in 4 years at over a grand each was enough for me.
I took a bath when I unloaded it, but that was the best decision I could have made.
I will never own another German car. The Volt was my first GM product, and I couldn't be happier. My dad owned 2 Mercedes diesels. The second one went super nova and the engine exploded (runaway). That was his last German car too.
Don't know what all the hype is about them.
12voltvids Android Sucks, iPhone rocks!!
crobi tataru
Bah..
Blackberry is where it is at man.
Iphone is a toy for kiddies.
Real men use Blackberries.
Those cheap tan seats need to go and the wood thing on the dash? Seriously? The rest is nice though...
+john public It's actually wool fabric seats (no animal killing) and the tan is 100% natural. The wood on the dash is eucalyptus, the lightest and fastest growing plant on the planet, that replaces hard plastic requiring petrol. If you're looking for a green car that is from dust to dust, this one actually makes sense from point A to point Z.
ok I stand corrected
This car is too overpriced and is not worth the investment right now
Says someone with a Ferrari as his Avatar ;). Which car is really worth it's investment? Every VW Up can take you from A to B for $10.000. Nevertheless there are enough people who buy a BMW 3 series or a Audi A6, Mercedes E class or even a Ferrari or Rolls Royce. So why not an i3?
I would never ever ever ever buy that car :)
No compromise???? its utterly ugly... hence there is some compromise.
This car is pretty cool but ugly as hell! I'll stick to my Volt! :P