2019 BMW i3 - Review
September 03 2019, Calgary BMW
It's going to be challenging just to decide where to begin with the BMW i3. This electrified subcompact car is radically different to so many current BMW products and other cars on sale today. With a unique interior and exterior design, pioneering construction and materials technique and launching the BMW i Brand, the i3 has a lot to be discussed.
Let's start with the powertrain setups. The i3 comes in two different configurations: a pure electric version and a plug-in hybrid version with a gasoline range extender. Both of these versions of the i3 get a 42.2kWh lithium-ion battery pack (a 30% increase in capacity for the 2019 model year) that stores electricity for the electric motor that produces 170hp and 184lb/ft. BMW claims the battery pack has a range of 156 kilometres. With the range extender variant, known as the REx, the i3 will have the same aforementioned electric setup but with a 647cc two cylinder engine living underneath the trunk floor. This engine doesn't create power to put to the road directly from the rear wheels, instead this small engine is an electricity generator. With a small 9L fuel tank, and the electric range depleted, the gasoline generator will start creating electricity to feed the electric motor that will spin the rear wheels. The i3 will make more sense to buyers as a plug-in hybrid if they're looking for a vehicle that can drive further and quickly refill at a moments notice.
Even to the uninitiated, the i3 is a special car. That will be obvious at the first sight of this car. The i3 doesn't look like anything else on the road, and despite it being on sale for a few years, it still looks like travelled 20 years or so from the future. The exterior design has very short overhangs over the wheels and the character lines are reminiscent of other BMW's but with its own identity. The occupants will open the door handle the wrong way to get into the i3 and notice the rare-to-find suicide doors to access the rear seats.
The driving position of the i3 is higher than a normal hatchback or sedan, but not quite a tall as a subcompact or compact crossover. This is due to the battery placement and construction of the i3. The i3 uses a rolling chassis design meaning the battery pack and other powertrain components are connected to the rest of the chassis and the frame sits on top. This contributes to the higher driving position and enough space to accommodate the large battery pack.
There's so much more to be discovered about the i3 and plenty of details only appreciated from behind the wheel. Check out the i3 and the sporty i3s at Calgary BMW today!
