The BMW i3 is an electric car that was manufactured by BMW from 2013 to 2022. The i3 was BMW's first mass-produced zero emissions vehicle and was launched as part of BMW's electric vehicle BMW i sub-brand. It is a B-segment, high-roof hatchback with an electric powertrain. It uses rear-wheel drive via a single-speed transmission and an underfloor lithium-ion battery pack with an optional range-extending petrol engine.
Sunny
Premium
Plastic I believe.
Centurion
Apex Apex Predator
Good, then it will be cheap to repair. However it was hit though, I thought that car has some sort of "anti rear end collision" system.
klier
Premium
Yup, the bones are CF, the skin is plastic.
mini_cooper4
Autotechnik Ace
Perfect video! "i can't wait" - Bravo!
SCOTT27
Drift Dynamo
BMW Makes Lone Shift to Carbon Fiber to Gain Auto Edge
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW)’s bid to save its cars from potential extinction starts with hundreds of thousands of fine white strands snaking upwards in a production hall in rural Washington.
Looped through an almost mile-long course, what looks like the world’s thinnest rice noodles will be stretched, toasted and eventually scorched black to create carbon fiber -- a material thinner than human hair and yet tougher than steel.
BMW will use the sleek, black filaments for the passenger frame of the i3 electric car, which goes on sale at dealers in Germany tomorrow and around the world in the coming months. It’s the first effort to mass produce a car made largely from carbon fiber and represents the biggest shift in automobile production since at least the 1980s when the first all-aluminum car frames were made.
The strategy started taking shape six years ago, as Norbert Reithofer, then the newly appointed chief executive officer, examined trends affecting the industry and concluded that increased environmental awareness would likely prompt tougher emissions regulations that could make the future of autobahn cruisers like the 5-Series sedan unsustainable.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-14/bmw-makes-lone-shift-to-carbon-fiber-to-gain-auto-edge.html
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW)’s bid to save its cars from potential extinction starts with hundreds of thousands of fine white strands snaking upwards in a production hall in rural Washington.
Looped through an almost mile-long course, what looks like the world’s thinnest rice noodles will be stretched, toasted and eventually scorched black to create carbon fiber -- a material thinner than human hair and yet tougher than steel.
BMW will use the sleek, black filaments for the passenger frame of the i3 electric car, which goes on sale at dealers in Germany tomorrow and around the world in the coming months. It’s the first effort to mass produce a car made largely from carbon fiber and represents the biggest shift in automobile production since at least the 1980s when the first all-aluminum car frames were made.
The strategy started taking shape six years ago, as Norbert Reithofer, then the newly appointed chief executive officer, examined trends affecting the industry and concluded that increased environmental awareness would likely prompt tougher emissions regulations that could make the future of autobahn cruisers like the 5-Series sedan unsustainable.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-14/bmw-makes-lone-shift-to-carbon-fiber-to-gain-auto-edge.html
EnI
Piston Pioneer
BMW i3 market launch
- 15.11.2013
First electric vehicles presented to the customers
Munich. The BMW i3 will be available in Germany and selected European markets from the 16 November. The first customers from Germany collected their cars from the BMW Welt in Munich a day earlier. The keys were formally presented by Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Sales and Marketing BMW and Roland Krüger, Senior Vice President, Head of Sales and Marketing Germany for the BMW Group, in a special ceremony. The head of the Bavarian State Chancellor’s Office and State Minister for Federal Affairs and Special Tasks, Christine Haderthauer, and Member of the Board of Management of Allianz SE, Oliver Bäte, were also among the first BMW i customers.
“Today marks a milestone in the history of the BMW Group, as we hand over our first BMW i premium electric vehicle to customers. In doing so, we are bringing sustainable mobility to the roads,” said Ian Robertson during presentation of the keys.
“Innovative vehicles need innovative distribution channels. For this reason, the BMW i3 can now also be ordered over the phone and online. However, the most important role in distribution is still that of our retail partners. We are delighted to have 46 carefully chosen BMW i agents in Germany, who are investing in the future of BMW i with us,” added Roland Krüger.
Over the coming months, the BMW i3 will be introduced in a large number of European markets. In 2014, the BMW i3 will also be launched in the US, Japan, China and Korea.
“The BMW i3 is typical BMW and typical Bavaria. It combines Top Innovation, Top Design and Top Sustainability. This is why we are convinced that the Bavarian State Chancellery should be one of the first customers. Emission free electro-mobility thanks to the BMW i3, this concept will be a great success and a Bavarian export hit. The future of auto-mobility begins now and it is white and blue”, noted State Minister Christine Haderthauer.
Electro-mobility also in demand for business fleets
The BMW i3 appeals to fleet customers as well as retail customers. Electric vehicles offer efficient, sustainable solutions for a complementary mix of drive trains in company fleets.
Allianz SE is one of the first BMW i3 fleet customers. “By integrating E-cards into the Allianz fleet, we are supporting the mobility solutions of today and tomorrow. We want to increase the acceptance of E-cars,” says Oliver Bäte Member of the Board of Management of Allianz SE on the collection of his car. “Currently, already 10% of our management fleet have E-vehicles; this is how we bring the future on to the road. The reactions of staff and clients are all very positive. Driving on electricity is something good – and it’s even fun.”
The BMW Group’s fleet management and leasing specialist, Alphabet, has developed a product called “AlphaElectric” to meet the special requirements of its fleet customers. The first comprehensive E-mobility solution on the market offers smooth integration of electric vehicles into company fleets in just three steps: analysis of the customer’s mobility profile; definition of appropriate charging infrastructure; and the flexible combination of add-on services.
Gerhard Eble, Managing Director of Innovative Hausverwaltungen Eble (Ratingen):
“For years I have wanted for a German manufacturer to bring an appealing electric car to the market. As soon as BMW introduced the BMW i3, I was immediately enthusiastic.”
Dr. Ingo Holz, Managing Director of BEOS AG (Berlin):
“As soon as BMW unveiled the BMW i3 study two years ago, straight away I was excited and soon after ordered the car. Two years later I am able to sit behind the wheel.”
Dr. Roman Dudenhausen, Founder and Member of the Board of Directors con/energy ag (Essen):
“My electro-age as an energy expert and employer is beginning with my purchase of the BMW. I am pleased to be one of the first to be able to use the completely newly developed car that stands for systematic sustainability.”
Thomas Aich (Ettlingen):
“I drive a lot all around town. Therefore, the efficient BMW i3 is obviously optimal for me.”
Source: BMW AG
Baron Grüner
Bavarian Cruiser
ghastly little thing... looks like some kind of a peugeot cra I mean product
EnI
Piston Pioneer
ULTIMATE ELECTRIC driving machine? Yes, it’s the BMW i3 e-car
The smart ‘leccy car from the folks at Bayerische Motoren Werke
By Alun Taylor, 12th November 2013
...
...
...
Extended range
Brands Hatch bound: the BMW i3
If those ranges don’t blow your socks off, you can cough up another £3,000 and get a REX i3 with a range-extender motor. This takes the form of a 650cc two-cylinder petrol engine buried in the back of the car along with a nine-litre fuel tank.
At the back? You bet. Like the Smart ForTwo, the i3 is rear-engined and rear-wheel drive. The size of the engine and petrol tank should give you a clue that the range extender is just that, not a motor designed to let you drive the length of the country as that capability is in a plugin hybrid. With a full tank of unleaded and a fully charged battery, getting 200 miles down the road shouldn’t, says BMW, be a problem.
No B pillar here
At all times the i3 is electrically driven. The range-extender motor only pumps juice into the battery, and it can only maintain the battery charge level, it can’t increase it, at least not by any significant amount.
Left to its own devices, this REX motor will fire up when the battery gets down to its last 3.5 per cent of charge and will keep you moving until you can plug the i3 into the mains. Once the battery drops below 75 per cent, you can force the REX motor to maintain that level, in effect conserving your current charge for pure electric motoring later in your journey.
Of course, you are free to keep topping up the fuel tank and holding your charge, so making a long trip in the i3 REX isn’t out of the question, but BMW is keen to stress that’s not really what the little two-pot is for.
Coach doors open to a spacious interior
I found the petrol engine to be surprisingly unobtrusive, much less so than the one in the Vauxhall Ampera. If you’re driving along in utter silence you can just hear it, but if you have the stereo on or the window open, you can’t.
The only external difference between the REX and BEV i3s is the petrol filler flap on the front wing. The engine ups the i3’s emissions to 13g/km of CO2 and increases its weight by 150kg. BMW quotes a combined cycle fuel economy figure of 470.8mpg for the REX. Yes, the decimal point is in the right place.
But what really what separates the i3 from other electric cars is the focus on driving dynamics. I took a REX i3 from central London to Brands Hatch where I got to throw it through some bends and have a drag race with an M3 driven by a BMW test driver.
The interior is harshly modern, but it quickly becomes familiar
Thanks to the i3’s featherlight weight and 125kW (170hp), 250Nm electric motor, I beat the M3 from a standing start to 50mph twice on the trot. According to the spec sheet, the i3 BEV can hit 62mph in 7.2 seconds but can reach 37mph in 3.7.
Of course, the M3 driver had to contend with changing gear while all I had to do was push the pedal to the carpet and hang on. But there’s no denying that all the way up to its top speed the i3 is a genuinely rapid little car.
It handles well, too. Despite the tall shape and high, semi-commanding driving position and pretty skinny 155/70 tyres, the i3 went through Dingle Dell Corner and Stirling’s Bend at speed with perfect composure, even on a damp track. And even with heavy-footed hack like me at the wheel.
Thanks to that low-slung battery pack, getting the i3 to break traction is nigh on impossible, even while threading the car though a cone slalom at speed, a manoeuvre made all the easier by the very tight turning circle and impressive all-round visibility. Speaking of which, exactly where the front end stops requires a bit of guesswork since the bonnet – which conceals a small storage cubby – drops away steeply.
More: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/11/12/review_bmw_i3/
The smart ‘leccy car from the folks at Bayerische Motoren Werke
By Alun Taylor, 12th November 2013
...
...
...
Extended range
Brands Hatch bound: the BMW i3
If those ranges don’t blow your socks off, you can cough up another £3,000 and get a REX i3 with a range-extender motor. This takes the form of a 650cc two-cylinder petrol engine buried in the back of the car along with a nine-litre fuel tank.
At the back? You bet. Like the Smart ForTwo, the i3 is rear-engined and rear-wheel drive. The size of the engine and petrol tank should give you a clue that the range extender is just that, not a motor designed to let you drive the length of the country as that capability is in a plugin hybrid. With a full tank of unleaded and a fully charged battery, getting 200 miles down the road shouldn’t, says BMW, be a problem.
No B pillar here
At all times the i3 is electrically driven. The range-extender motor only pumps juice into the battery, and it can only maintain the battery charge level, it can’t increase it, at least not by any significant amount.
Left to its own devices, this REX motor will fire up when the battery gets down to its last 3.5 per cent of charge and will keep you moving until you can plug the i3 into the mains. Once the battery drops below 75 per cent, you can force the REX motor to maintain that level, in effect conserving your current charge for pure electric motoring later in your journey.
Of course, you are free to keep topping up the fuel tank and holding your charge, so making a long trip in the i3 REX isn’t out of the question, but BMW is keen to stress that’s not really what the little two-pot is for.
Coach doors open to a spacious interior
I found the petrol engine to be surprisingly unobtrusive, much less so than the one in the Vauxhall Ampera. If you’re driving along in utter silence you can just hear it, but if you have the stereo on or the window open, you can’t.
The only external difference between the REX and BEV i3s is the petrol filler flap on the front wing. The engine ups the i3’s emissions to 13g/km of CO2 and increases its weight by 150kg. BMW quotes a combined cycle fuel economy figure of 470.8mpg for the REX. Yes, the decimal point is in the right place.
But what really what separates the i3 from other electric cars is the focus on driving dynamics. I took a REX i3 from central London to Brands Hatch where I got to throw it through some bends and have a drag race with an M3 driven by a BMW test driver.
The interior is harshly modern, but it quickly becomes familiar
Thanks to the i3’s featherlight weight and 125kW (170hp), 250Nm electric motor, I beat the M3 from a standing start to 50mph twice on the trot. According to the spec sheet, the i3 BEV can hit 62mph in 7.2 seconds but can reach 37mph in 3.7.
Of course, the M3 driver had to contend with changing gear while all I had to do was push the pedal to the carpet and hang on. But there’s no denying that all the way up to its top speed the i3 is a genuinely rapid little car.
It handles well, too. Despite the tall shape and high, semi-commanding driving position and pretty skinny 155/70 tyres, the i3 went through Dingle Dell Corner and Stirling’s Bend at speed with perfect composure, even on a damp track. And even with heavy-footed hack like me at the wheel.
Thanks to that low-slung battery pack, getting the i3 to break traction is nigh on impossible, even while threading the car though a cone slalom at speed, a manoeuvre made all the easier by the very tight turning circle and impressive all-round visibility. Speaking of which, exactly where the front end stops requires a bit of guesswork since the bonnet – which conceals a small storage cubby – drops away steeply.
More: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/11/12/review_bmw_i3/
Sayyaaf
Autotechnik Ace
What u need, is a good drink my friend
U already got the best weapon for that.
I just finished watching an entire hour of this car in the production lines. What a complex process !!! Absolutely amazing that BMW put this in production already. The process explains that this is not how your average car is built.
Sunny
Premium
^lol, for real race tracks, sure. But for the tight autocross tracks on a parking lot, 911s with it's rear weight bias, not so great. For AX you need a light nimble car with good turn in and traction of slow corners. Not too powerful, because you probably never exceed 50 mph on most tracks. An i3 with low center of gravity, short wheel base, gobs of torque from slow speeds will do awesome. I really believe it will really humble a lot of sports cars at AX.
Similar threads
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, abbreviated as BMW is a German multinational
manufacturer of luxury vehicles and motorcycles headquartered in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
The company was founded in 1916 as a manufacturer of aircraft engines, which it produced
from 1917 to 1918 and again from 1933 to 1945.
Official website: BMW (Global), BMW (USA)
Official website: BMW (Global), BMW (USA)
