The BMW i3 is a
B-segment
The B-segment is the second smallest of the European segments for passenger cars between the A-segment and C-segment, and commonly described as "small cars". The B-segment is the largest segment in Europe by volume, accounting for 20 percent of ...
, high-roof
hatchback manufactured and marketed by
BMW with an
electric powertrain
An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle that uses one or more electric motors for propulsion. It can be powered by a collector system, with electricity from extravehicular sources, or it can be powered autonomously by a battery (sometimes cha ...
using
rear-wheel drive
Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, in which the engine drives the rear wheels only. Until the late 20th century, rear-wheel drive was the most common configuration for cars.
Most rear-wheel ...
via a single-speed transmission and an underfloor
lithium-ion battery pack and an optional
range-extending petrol engine. The i3 was BMW's first mass-produced
zero emissions vehicle
A zero-emission vehicle, or ZEV, is a vehicle that does not emit exhaust gas or other pollutants from the onboard source of power. The California definition also adds that this includes under any and all possible operational modes and conditions ...
and was launched as part of BMW's electric vehicle ''
BMW i
The BMW i is a sub-brand of BMW founded in 2011 to design and manufacture plug-in electric vehicles. The company initially released two vehicles: the BMW i3, i3 all-electric car and the BMW i8, i8 plug-in hybrid. The electric car, all-electric ...
'' sub-brand.
Styled by
Richard Kim, the i3 is offered in a single five-door configuration with a passenger module of high strength, ultra-lightweight CFRP (
carbon fibre reinforced polymer
Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (American English), carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers (Commonwealth English), carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon-fiber reinforced-thermoplastic (CFRP, CRP, CFRTP), also known as carbon fiber, carbon compo ...
) adhered to a lower aluminium module holding the chassis, battery, drive system and powertrain. The bodywork features two smaller clamshell
rear-hinged rear doors. The i3 debuted as a
concept
Concepts are defined as abstract ideas. They are understood to be the fundamental building blocks of the concept behind principles, thoughts and beliefs.
They play an important role in all aspects of cognition. As such, concepts are studied by ...
at the
2011 International Motor Show Germany,
and production began in September 2013
in
Leipzig
Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as ...
.
Having ranked third amongst
electric cars sold worldwide from 2014 to 2016,
its global sales totaled over 220,000 units worldwide by the end of 2021.
Germany is listed as its best-selling market with over 47,500 units delivered through December 2021, followed by the U.S. with over 45,000.
The i3 has won two
World Car of the Year Awards, selected as 2014 World Green Car of the Year and also as 2014 World Car Design of the Year. The i3 received an
iF Product Design Gold Award, and won both UK Car of the Year 2014 and Best Supermini of 2014 in the first UK Car of the Year Awards.
History
In February 2011, BMW debuted its sub-brand,
BMW i
The BMW i is a sub-brand of BMW founded in 2011 to design and manufacture plug-in electric vehicles. The company initially released two vehicles: the BMW i3, i3 all-electric car and the BMW i8, i8 plug-in hybrid. The electric car, all-electric ...
, to market the vehicles produced under Project i. BMW i vehicles were to be sold separately from BMW or
Mini
The Mini is a small, two-door, four-seat car, developed as ADO15, and produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successors, from 1959 through 2000. Minus a brief hiatus, original Minis were built for four decades and sold during ...
. The first two
production
Production may refer to:
Economics and business
* Production (economics)
* Production, the act of manufacturing goods
* Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services)
* Production as a stati ...
models are the
all-electric BMW i3, formerly called the Mega City Vehicle (MCV), and a
plug-in hybrid called
BMW i8
The BMW i8 is a plug-in hybrid sports car developed by BMW. The i8 was part of BMW's electrified fleet and was marketed under the BMW i sub-brand. The production version of the BMW i8 was unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show and was rel ...
, which is the production version of the
Vision Efficient Dynamics concept unveiled at the 2009
International Motor Show Germany
The International Motor Show Germany or International Mobility Show Germany, in German known as the ''Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung'' (''IAA'' – International Automobile Exhibition), is one of the world's largest mobility shows. It cons ...
and has an
all-electric range of . Production of both
plug-in electric car
A plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) is any road vehicle that can utilize an external source of electricity (such as a wall socket that connects to the power grid) to store electrical power within its onboard rechargeable battery packs, which th ...
s was scheduled to start in
Leipzig
Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as ...
in 2013.
BMW incorporated the lessons learned during the field testing of the
Mini E
The Mini E was a demonstration electric car developed by BMW as a conversion of its Mini Cooper car. The Mini E was developed for field trials and deployed in several countries, including the United States, Germany, UK, France, Japan and Chin ...
(200–2010) and the
BMW ActiveE (2012) into the design of the BMW i3, in particular regarding the type of battery and powertrain, achievable range, and the use of one pedal driving in urban traffic areas.
Concept vehicles
The i3 concept car
A concept car (also known as a concept vehicle, show vehicle or prototype) is a car made to showcase new styling and/or new technology. They are often exhibited at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or ...
was unveiled at the 2011 International Motor Show Germany. This 2011 prototype had a lithium-ion battery
A lithium-ion or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery which uses the reversible reduction of lithium ions to store energy. It is the predominant battery type used in portable consumer electronics and electric vehicles. It also s ...
pack that is expected to deliver between and the battery was fully charged in about four hours with the 240-volt charging unit. The i3 was expected to go from 0 to in less than 8 seconds.[
BMW also showcased a BMW i3 prototype during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London,] before the production version was unveiled in July 2013.[
BMW unveiled the i3 Concept Coupé study at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show. The carmaker developed the concept car to demonstrate the potential for extending the model range. The three-door hatchback ]coupe
A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors.
The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...
, like the five-door i3 electric
Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by ...
hatchback sedan, is propelled by an electric motor developed by the BMW Group, with a maximum output of and peak torque of . Power delivery to the rear wheels is via a single-speed transmission. The li-ion battery pack is placed under the floor and can deliver an all-electric range of , but a gasoline engine referred to as "REx", can be added to extend the car's range to .
Launch
The production i3 was announced in July 2013 as a 2014 model year vehicle.[ The first car deliveries were expected in November 2013 for the United Kingdom and late Spring 2014 for the United States.] It was expected to weigh approximately , of which the 22 kWh battery pack was ; weight savings were achieved through the extensive use of lightweight materials such as aluminium, magnesium, and carbon fiber. To alleviate range concerns, an optional range-extending two-cylinder engine was available, which added and approximately 10% to the price, which started at in the United States. Automotive press were invited to test drive the production cars in Amsterdam.
The original battery capacity was 60 Ah or 22 kWh (gross), with a net capacity of 19 kWh.[ The unladen weight was , with the range extender.
In the United States, the i3 was available with a choice of one of three trim packages dictating the wheels and interior: Mega World (base, cloth seats and 19" Style 427 wheels), Giga World (+US$1,700, adds leather interior accents, sunroof, and 19" Giga-specific Style 429 wheels), and Tera World (+US$2,700, adds full leather interior and 19" Tera-specific Style 428 wheels). 20" Style 430 double-spoke wheels were optional for Giga and Tera trims. In addition, there were two option packages available: Parking Assistant (+US$1,000, adds backup camera and parking assistance) and Technology – Driving Assistant (+US$2,500, adds wide-screen navigation, deceleration assistance, and adaptive cruise control). Wheel and tyre sizes vary from front to rear and by trim, as well. The equivalent trim lines in the UK were named Standard/Atelier, Loft (+£1,000; both corresponding to Mega); Lodge (+£1,500, corresponding to Giga); and Suite (+£2,000, corresponding to Tera). Wheel options were not locked to trims in the UK, with 19" Style 427 wheels standard and the rest optionally available in combination with any interior trim.
]
2017 model
In May 2016, BMW announced that the 2017 model year (MY) BMW i3 will have a 94 Ah / 33 kWh (27.2 kW net usable) battery, allowing increased range. The battery pack capacity was increased by more than 50% without changes in exterior dimensions. BMW and Samsung SDI optimized the cell-internal packages with more electrolyte and adapted the active material, resulting in higher energy density of the lithium ion cells that increased battery capacity and overall battery energy.[ The improved battery has an upgraded electronics package that has new software mapping for the battery cooling system and the electric motor. The 94 Ah battery pack fits both the all-electric i3 and the i3 with the range extender. With the larger battery, the unladen weight was , rising to with the range extender.]
The Range Extender (REx) variant features the same 94 Ah battery as the all-electric model. The 2017 REx model offers additional range in the American market thanks to a fuel tank that is effectively 25% larger than the previous model.[ Although the fuel tank is physically unchanged, BMW previously had locked out part of the tank using software specific to the American market to meet requirements for vehicles with range extender, as the car had more gasoline-powered range than all-electric range, which would affect its status as a zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) in California.]
The 2017 model year i3 was released in the United States and Europe in July 2016. According to BMW, as of 10 August 2016, orders for the larger battery i3 exceeded 7,000 units, with a total of 2,358 i3s delivered worldwide in July 2016, up 33.7% year-on-year. Sales also surged in the U.S. with 1,479 units sold in July 2016, up 58.2% from July 2015, and 143.3% from June 2016. However, BMW only managed to sell 6,276 i3s in 2017 in the U.S., a drop of 17 percent from 2016. Purchase incentive of up to $10,000 was available for 2017 or 2018 models.
Both variants with the improved battery were scheduled to be available in the UK, Germany and France starting in July 2016.[ Owners of previous i3 models in selected markets have the option to retrofit their vehicles with the improved battery. BMW plans to use the used 22 kWh batteries in the manufacturing of stationary power storage units.] The battery retrofit option is not available in the U.S.
2018 model and i3s
The exterior was refreshed for the 2018 model year, with a new front bumper, horizontal turnsignal light openings, and standard LED headlights. The rear bumper was also revised and a horizontal silver bar was added to the rear hatch. On the side, a silver accent was added to the roofline on the i3 model, not on the i3s model; the car's visual stance was widened with the addition of fender flares.
In 2017, BMW announced the addition of the i3s ("sport") to its lineup beginning with the 2018 model year. Visually, many of the chrome accents added to the regular 2018 model were blacked-out on the i3s. The i3s features increased power and torque output from and , a lowered sport suspension, wider model-exclusive Style 431 double-spoke wheels and tires (F: 175/55R20 and R: 195/50R20, each wider than the standard tires fitted with Style 430 wheels), faster acceleration, and a SPORT drive mode. The i3s features a wider track width at , compared to (F/R) for the regular i3; overall width also increases from . The i3s, like the i3, is offered with optional Range Extender. Also like the regular i3, the i3s is offered with a choice of interiors, from standard Mega / Atelier and Loft to Giga / Lodge and Tera / Suite. The unladen weight of the i3s was approximately heavier than the regular i3, at without and with the range extender.[
]
2019 model
In September 2018, BMW announced a larger 42.2 kWh (120 Ah) battery for the i3. Minor alterations to the i3 included new color options and adaptive headlights. With the introduction of the bigger battery, BMW decided to discontinue the REX version of the i3 in Europe. Unladen weight did not grow much with the larger battery; the unladen weight was for the regular i3 and for the i3s.
Discontinuation
, BMW planned to continue i3 production until 2024, and there were no specific plans for an i3 successor. However, BMW announced in June 2021 it would discontinue i3 sales in the US after the 2021 model year, replaced by the BMW iX
The BMW iX is a battery-electric mid-size luxury crossover SUV manufactured and marketed by the German automobile manufacturer BMW. It was unveiled in concept form named Vision iNext at the 2018 Paris Motor Show, and then as fully production-rea ...
and BMW i4
The BMW i4 (model code G26) is a battery electric compact executive car produced by BMW since 2021. It adopts a five-door liftback body style and is marketed as a four-door coupé. The initial concept version, named BMW i Vision Dynamics, debu ...
for that market in 2022. The end of production for US models occurred in July 2021; Australian models were discontinued at the end of 2021.
BMW confirmed in early 2022 that production of all i3 models is scheduled to end in July 2022, and will be succeeded in some markets by BMW iX1
The BMW X1 is a line of subcompact luxury crossovers produced by BMW. Debuted in 2009, the first-generation X1 has been based on the E90 3 Series and offers rear-wheel drive layout as standard. At its introduction, it was positioned as the sm ...
, which will enter mass production at the Regensburg factory in 2024 before shifting to Hungary. The Leipzig plant will be retooled to produce the updated Mini Countryman
The Mini Countryman, also called Mini Crossover in Japan, is a subcompact luxury crossover SUV, the first vehicle of this type to be launched by BMW under the Mini marque. It was launched in 2010 and received a facelift in 2014. The second gen ...
.[
]
3G Cellular technology discontinuation
In April 2021, BMW announced the 3G cellular technology services will be discontinued starting February 2022 for vehicles in the US market. This is due to the decline and decommissioning of the 3G service.
Design and technology
Body and chassis
The i3 was the first mass production car with most of its internal structure and body made of carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP). BMW took advantage of the absence of a forward internal combustion engine
An internal combustion engine (ICE or IC engine) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal c ...
, giving the i3 a "clean sheet design" with a sports-like appearance.
The i3 includes four doors and seating for four occupants with rear suicide doors
A suicide door is an automobile door hinged at its rear rather than the front. Such doors were originally used on horse-drawn carriages, but are rarely found on modern vehicles, primarily because they are perceived as being less safe than a fro ...
.[ The passenger compartment is known as the Life Module, made of CFRP, sitting atop the aluminum Drive Module, which incorporates the powertrain, frame, battery, and suspension.][ Carbon fiber is sourced from SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers, a joint venture of BMW and SGL Carbon in Moses Lake, Washington; the fibers are woven into fabric at another BMW/SGL joint venture plant in Wackersdorf, then the fabric is laid up into structures using a ]resin transfer molding
Out of autoclave composite manufacturing is an alternative to the traditional high pressure autoclave (industrial) curing process commonly used by the aerospace manufacturers for manufacturing composite material. Out of autoclave (OOA) is a pro ...
process at BMW Landshut. Finally, the finished pieces are assembled into the Life Module by 173 robots at BMW Leipzig, using adhesives only.
The door panels of the i3 are made of hemp, which mixed with plastic helps lower the weight of each panel by about 10%. Hemp fibers, left exposed, also form a design element of the car's interior and contribute to sustainability. Further environmental consciousness is reflected in the optional seat leather, which is tanned with olive-leaf extract and the dashboard trim, which is made from environmentally refined wood from certified cultivation in Europe. By November 2010, BMW had demonstrated the passenger compartment's light weight, and the automaker's chief executive said they had already decided on the basic design of the car and that road-testing prototypes began soon after.[
The tires for the i3 were designed by Bridgestone to minimize rolling resistance and aerodynamic drag, featuring a narrower width, larger diameter, and higher inflation pressure (155/70R19 at ) than typical passenger car tires (175/65R15 at for equivalent load capacity). Bridgestone call this combination of changes "ologic", supplying similar tires to ]World Solar Challenge
The World Solar Challenge (WSC), since 2013 named Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, is an international event for solar powered cars driving 3000 kilometres through the Australian outback.
With the exception of a four-year gap between ...
teams.
Powertrain
The i3 uses a newly developed powertrain
A drivetrain (also frequently spelled as drive train or sometimes drive-train) is the group of components that deliver mechanical power from the prime mover to the driven components. In automotive engineering, the drivetrain is the components o ...
consisting of a electric motor
An electric motor is an electrical machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Most electric motors operate through the interaction between the motor's magnetic field and electric current in a wire winding to generate for ...
running on lithium-ion batteries and driving the rear axle.[ The top speed is limited to .] A range-extender option is available, adding a small rear-mounted gasoline engine to recharge the traction battery when it is low.
Battery, range, and economy
BMW aimed to achieve a range of , the same range that was expected for the BMW ActiveE, but in order to reduce weight, battery capacity was cut to 16 kWh instead of the ActiveE's 30 kWh. As initially sold (2014–16 model years), the vehicle's official range
Range may refer to:
Geography
* Range (geographic), a chain of hills or mountains; a somewhat linear, complex mountainous or hilly area (cordillera, sierra)
** Mountain range, a group of mountains bordered by lowlands
* Range, a term used to i ...
is for the 60 Ah battery option under the New European Driving Cycle
The New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) was a driving cycle, last updated in 1997, designed to assess the emission levels of car engines and fuel economy in passenger cars (which excludes light trucks and commercial vehicles). It is also refer ...
(NEDC), and up to in the most efficient driving mode. Under the United States Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it ...
(EPA) cycle, the official range of the 60 Ah model is with combined fuel economy of 124 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent
Miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (MPGe or MPGge) is a measure of the average distance traveled per unit of energy consumed. MPGe is used by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to compare energy consumption of alternative ...
—MPGe— (1.90 L/100 km; 149 mpg imp).
The 2014–16 model years with the range extender option have an official NEDC total range of .
BMW estimates the energy consumption is 0.21 kWh/mile in everyday driving.[ Under its five-cycle testing, the ]United States Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it ...
(EPA) rated the 2014 through 2016 model year
The model year (sometimes abbreviated "MY") is a method of describing the version of a product which has been produced over multiple years. The model year may or may not be the same as the calendar year in which the product was manufactured.
...
all-electric BMW i3 (60 Ah) energy consumption at 27 kWh/100 mi (16.9 kWh/100 km) with a combined fuel economy at 124 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent
Miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (MPGe or MPGge) is a measure of the average distance traveled per unit of energy consumed. MPGe is used by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to compare energy consumption of alternative ...
– MPGe – (1.90 L/100 km; 149 mpg imp) with an all-electric range of .[ The range-extended model has lower ratings than the all-electric i3 due to the extra weight of the twin-cylinder ]gasoline engine
A petrol engine (gasoline engine in American English) is an internal combustion engine designed to run on petrol (gasoline). Petrol engines can often be adapted to also run on fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas and ethanol blends (such as ''E ...
used in the i3 REx.[ ''See details in EPA window sticker'']
Range and economy varies depending on the presence of the range extending internal combustion engine and larger batteries fitted to later models:
With these ratings the all-electric BMW i3 was the most fuel efficient EPA-certified vehicle sold in the United States of all years regardless of fuel type until November 2016, when it was surpassed by the Hyundai Ioniq Electric
The Hyundai Ioniq is a compact five-door liftback manufactured and marketed by Hyundai. The nameplate ''Ioniq'' is a portmanteau of '' ion'' and ''unique''. It is marketed as the first automobile to be offered without a standard internal combus ...
, rated at 136 MPGe (25 kWh/100 mi).[ ''Current Model Year excludes all-electric vehicles.''][ ''The 2014–16 BMW i3 BEV (60 Amp-hour battery) was the most efficient EPA-certified vehicles considering all fuels and of all years until November 2016, when it was surpassed by the 2017 ]Hyundai Ioniq Electric
The Hyundai Ioniq is a compact five-door liftback manufactured and marketed by Hyundai. The nameplate ''Ioniq'' is a portmanteau of '' ion'' and ''unique''. It is marketed as the first automobile to be offered without a standard internal combus ...
.'' Similarly, the i3 REx in 2014 was the most efficient EPA-certified current year vehicle with a gasoline engine, replacing the Chevrolet Volt
The Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid manufactured by General Motors, also marketed in rebadged variants as the Holden Volt in Australia and New Zealand and the Buick Velite 5 in China, and with a different fascia as the Vauxhall Ampera in th ...
.[ ''Excludes all-electric vehicles. Click on the tab "EPA Rated – All Years. The 2013–2014 Chevrolet Volt has a combined fuel economy of 62 MPG-e.'']
In July 2016, BMW released the 2017 model year
The model year (sometimes abbreviated "MY") is a method of describing the version of a product which has been produced over multiple years. The model year may or may not be the same as the calendar year in which the product was manufactured.
...
(MY) BMW i3 with an improved 94 Ah (33 kWh) battery pack, 50% more capacity than the previous model, resulting in an increase of its range to under the EPA cycle, an increase of over the 60 Ah variant. The 94 Ah battery gave a range of under the NEDC test.[ The i3 94 Ah combined fuel economy rating is 118 MPG-e, down from 124 MPG-e for the model with the 60 Ah battery.]
The 2017 BMW i3 REx with the larger 94 Ah battery has an EPA-rated range of , and combined fuel economy rating is 111 MPG-e. The range using the gasoline-powered engine increased to from in the previous versions.
The battery rating was again increased in 2018 to 120 Ah, which results in a total capacity of 42.2kWh. The 2019 BMW i3 REx with 120 Ah battery has an EPA-rated battery-only range of , a combined gas and electric range of miles, and a combined fuel economy rating of 100 MPG-e.
Charging
BMW designed the i3 eDrive powertrain based on the premise that the battery would need to be recharged only once every two to three days. The charging frequency was derived from field trial results taken from the BMW ActiveE and MINI E vehicles in Asia, Europe and the U.S., whereby the typical commuting use between the pilot users' homes and workplaces was calculated.[
The i3 allows the owner to charge the battery from a conventional wall socket. In addition, the BMW i3 has multiple charging options. With the original 60Ah battery, AC fast charging can take less than 3 hours when charging from 0 to 80% while using the BMW i Wallbox Pure or any 3rd party charging equipment (]EVSE
A charging station, also known as a charge point or electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), is a piece of equipment that supplies electrical power for charging plug-in electric vehicles (including electric cars, electric trucks, electric b ...
) supporting 32A. The i3 also has a 50 kW DC fast charging option suitable for public DC charging stations, which can take less than 30 minutes to charge the 60Ah version from 0% to 80%. Later 94Ah and 120Ah models take proportionally longer.
In the US, the i3 can also be charged from any public charging station with an SAE J1772
SAE J1772, also known as a J plug or Type 1 connector after its international standard, IEC 62196 Type 1, is a North American standard for electrical connectors for electric vehicles maintained by SAE International under the formal title "SAE Su ...
connector. In 2016, BMW and the PG&E utility in California expanded an experiment of delaying charge-up during peak demand
Peak demand on an electrical grid is simply the highest electrical power demand that has occurred over a specified time period (Gönen 2008). Peak demand is typically characterized as annual, daily or seasonal and has the unit of power.
Peak dem ...
and compensating i3 owners for the delay.
BMW claims that the i3 is the first fully online all-electric vehicle, but the Tesla Model S
The Tesla Model S is a battery-powered liftback car serving as the flagship model of Tesla, Inc. The Model S features a dual-motor, all-wheel drive layout, although earlier versions of the Model S featured a rear-motor and rear-wheel drive ...
has had full 3G Internet connectivity since 2012.
Additional mobility
BMW i
The BMW i is a sub-brand of BMW founded in 2011 to design and manufacture plug-in electric vehicles. The company initially released two vehicles: the BMW i3, i3 all-electric car and the BMW i8, i8 plug-in hybrid. The electric car, all-electric ...
introduced the BMW i Flexible Mobility Program for trips where the range of a BMW i3 would not be enough to allow customers to cover longer distances, such as providing a conventional BMW vehicle for a specified number of days per year. The program started in October 2014 in the US and individual dealers can choose whether to participate in this program. BMW is also offering a roadside assistance program in areas of high sales. The assistance vehicle will provide a charge so the i3 can travel to the next charging station. In addition, the i3 digital display panel shows the location of nearby recharging stations to alleviate range anxiety.
Range extender option
An optional petrol/gasoline range extender
A range extender is a fuel-based auxiliary power unit (APU) that extends the range of a battery electric vehicle by driving an electric generator that charges the vehicle's battery. This arrangement is known as a series hybrid drivetrain. The ...
engine is marketed as ''REx''[ and is powered by the same ]Kymco
Kymco (an acronym for Kwang Yang Motor Co, Ltd ()) (stylized as ''KYMCO'') is a Taiwanese motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. With approximately 3000 employees, Kymco produces over 570,000 vehicles annually at its factory ...
-built 647 cc inline two-cylinder engine used in the BMW C650 GT maxi-scooter. The system is intended as an emergency backup to extend range to the next recharging location, and not for long-distance travel. The 647 cc engine as fitted in the i3 REx is derated compared to the engine of the same displacement in the C650 GT; the REx engine develops and at 4,300 RPM, achieving compliance with Euro-6 emissions standards compared to the (at 7,500 RPM) and (at 6,000 RPM) for the engine in the C650 GT, which complies with the less restrictive Euro-4 emissions.
The REx engine operates when battery capacity drops to a pre-specified level, generating electricity to extend the range. Vehicles equipped with the REx have an additional fuel filler door on the right front fender, allowing drivers to fill the tank. However, model year 2014–16 i3 REx vehicles in the U.S. are limited to a fuel capacity of electronically, in accordance with the car's classification as a range-extended battery-electric vehicle; with the full capacity, the gasoline-extended range would exceed the all-electric range, which would classify the car as a plug-in hybrid instead. The European model REx has an extended range of approximately . In the United States with the limited tank, under EPA five-cycle testing, the i3 REx has a total range of , of which approximately half [] is all-electric.[ The restrictions applied to the US configuration of the i3 that do not apply to other territories prompted a class-action lawsuit in 2016.
]
United States / California regulation
The range-extender option of the BMW i3 was designed to meet the California Air Resources Board
The California Air Resources Board (CARB or ARB) is the "clean air agency" of the government of California. Established in 1967 when then-governor Ronald Reagan signed the Mulford-Carrell Act, combining the Bureau of Air Sanitation and the Moto ...
(CARB) regulation for an auxiliary power unit
An auxiliary power unit (APU) is a device on a vehicle that provides energy for functions other than propulsion. They are commonly found on large aircraft and naval ships as well as some large land vehicles. Aircraft APUs generally produce 115& ...
(APU). According to rules adopted in March 2012 by CARB, the 2014 BMW i3 with a REx unit fitted is the first car ever to qualify as a range-extended battery-electric vehicle or "BEVx". CARB describes this type of electric vehicle as "a relatively high-electric range battery-electric vehicle (BEV) to which an APU is added." The unit, which maintains battery charge at about 30% after the pack has been depleted in normal use, is strictly limited in the additional range it can provide. As a BEVx, the car is required to deliver a minimum electric range.[
CARB classified the i3 with the REx option as a "Transitional Zero Emission Vehicle" (TZEV), the same classification as other plug-in hybrids such as the ]Chevrolet Volt
The Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid manufactured by General Motors, also marketed in rebadged variants as the Holden Volt in Australia and New Zealand and the Buick Velite 5 in China, and with a different fascia as the Vauxhall Ampera in th ...
and the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid
The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid (often abbreviated as the Prius and known as the Prius Prime in North America, South Korea, and New Zealand) is a plug-in hybrid liftback manufactured by Toyota. The first-generation model was produced from 2012 t ...
. This classification made the i3 REx eligible for California's green sticker that identifies the vehicles allowed to be operated by a single occupant in California's high-occupancy vehicle lane
A high-occupancy vehicle lane (also known as an HOV lane, carpool lane, diamond lane, 2+ lane, and transit lane or T2 or T3 lanes) is a restricted traffic lane reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles with a driver and one or more passengers, i ...
s (HOV), or carpool or diamond lanes, but not for the white sticker reserved for pure electric cars, such as the BMW i3 without REx. In addition, CARB certification of the i3 REx as BEVx allows the i3 with range extender to be eligible for a Clean Vehicle Rebate, the same amount eligible pure electric cars are entitled to. Other plug-in hybrids are eligible for only a purchase rebate.
Since the 2017 model years and newer i3 REx have the same battery as the all-electric models, newer i3 REx cars have an increased all-electric range due to the higher capacity 94 A·hr battery (2017–18) and 120 A·hr battery (2019–22) that now exceeds its gas-powered range. For example, the 2017 model year i3 REx equipped with the range extender has a total range of , of which is all-electric. With their larger batteries fitted to the 2017 model year and later, the all-electric range exceeds the total gasoline range for the 2017 model year and beyond, so the software restrictions were removed for these model years and BMW was able to unlock the full tank for later models of the i3 REx without affecting its ZEV status.[
]
Interior and controls
In June 2012 an updated version of the BMW i3 concept car was unveiled at the opening of the first BMW i
The BMW i is a sub-brand of BMW founded in 2011 to design and manufacture plug-in electric vehicles. The company initially released two vehicles: the BMW i3, i3 all-electric car and the BMW i8, i8 plug-in hybrid. The electric car, all-electric ...
store, located on Park Lane
Park Lane is a dual carriageway road in the City of Westminster in Central London. It is part of the London Inner Ring Road and runs from Hyde Park Corner in the south to Marble Arch in the north. It separates Hyde Park to the west from ...
in London, UK. The updated i3 concept consists of a new interior colour and materials concept. The seat covers combine responsibly sourced wool and leather naturally tanned with an olive oil leaf-based agent. The almost symmetrical curving dash is inlaid with treated eucalyptus
''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of over seven hundred species of flowering trees, shrubs or mallees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalypteae, including '' Corymbia'', they are commonly known as e ...
wood that, according to BMW, is sourced from sustainably managed European forests.
Information is provided to the driver through a freestanding instrument cluster and a central information display. The bench-derived front seats replace the center tunnel that bisected the cabin and a floor-mounted transmission, brake levers or center console are also absent.
The BMW i3 has two pedals like all cars with automatic transmission. The accelerator pedal acts as both accelerator and engine brake. When the driver releases the pedal, the vehicle's kinetic energy is regenerated by the vehicle drivetrain to recharge the battery. This has the effect of slowing the car down. During the field testing of the Mini E
The Mini E was a demonstration electric car developed by BMW as a conversion of its Mini Cooper car. The Mini E was developed for field trials and deployed in several countries, including the United States, Germany, UK, France, Japan and Chin ...
, which has an accelerator that recharges the battery in this way, and consists of brakes that only apply to the rear wheels, BMW has learned that drivers tend to rely on the engine brake: around 75% of all deceleration maneuvers are initiated without the brake pedal in urban traffic areas.[ BMW also expected the i3 to use the same type of battery and powertrain that is being tested in the BMW ActiveE trials.]
Operating modes
The BMW i3 allows the driver to select the car energy consumption through three different driving modes: Comfort, Eco Pro or Eco Pro+ mode. In the standard Comfort mode the i3 delivers a range between in everyday driving conditions, while the i3 REx delivers between . The Eco Pro mode increases the driving range by around 12% through a different accelerator pedal mapping which uses less power. In Eco Pro+ mode, all settings are geared to achieving the maximum possible range, increasing the driving range by about 24% compared with Comfort mode. In this mode the maximum speed of the BMW i3 is limited to and electrical devices such as the heating and air conditioning are switched to energy-saving mode.[ ''See details in press release.''] The i3s, introduced for the 2018 model year, adds a SPORT drive mode.
Safety
The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) awarded the i3 a four-star car safety rating, resulting in the following ratings for each criterion:
The BMW i3's overall ratings are lower than the other six best-selling plug-in electric vehicles, the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid
The Volvo V60 is a compact wagon produced by Volvo Cars related to the S60. The vehicle was first released in autumn 2010, facelifted in 2014, and is in its second generation since 2018.
The second generation V60 was launched in 2018 based on t ...
, Renault Zoe, Nissan Leaf
The , stylized as LEAF, is a compact five-door hatchback battery electric vehicle (BEV) manufactured by Nissan. It was introduced in Japan and the United States in December 2010, and its second generation was introduced in October 2017. The Lea ...
, Mitsubishi Outlander P-HEV
The is a mid-size
crossover SUV manufactured by Japanese
automaker Mitsubishi Motors. It was originally known as the when it was introduced in Japan in 2001.
The original Airtrek name was chosen to "describe the vehicle's ability to transpo ...
, Chevrolet Volt
The Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid manufactured by General Motors, also marketed in rebadged variants as the Holden Volt in Australia and New Zealand and the Buick Velite 5 in China, and with a different fascia as the Vauxhall Ampera in th ...
and Opel Ampera
Opel Automobile GmbH (), usually shortened to Opel, is a German automobile manufacturer which has been a subsidiary of Stellantis since 16 January 2021. It was owned by the American automaker General Motors from 1929 until 2017 and the PSA Grou ...
, all of which were rated five stars.
Production
BMW has implemented efficient manufacturing processes and is using recycled materials to lessen the i3's environmental impact.
BMW is manufacturing carbon strands that form the basis of the i3's carbon-fiber reinforced plastic bodywork at a new plant built in Moses Lake, Washington
Moses Lake is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 25,146 as of the 2020 census. Moses Lake is the largest city in Grant County. The city anchors the Moses Lake Micropolitan area, which includes all of Grant C ...
, using raw material shipped from Japan. This location was selected to take advantage of the abundant hydroelectric power available in this U.S. region because carbon-fiber production requires considerable energy and would otherwise emit much carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide ( chemical formula ) is a chemical compound made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in the gas state at room temperature. In the air, carbon dioxide is trans ...
. The carbon fiber is then shipped to Landshut, Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, where the carbon-fiber reinforced plastic parts are fabricated, and the vehicle assembly line
An assembly line is a manufacturing process (often called a ''progressive assembly'') in which parts (usually interchangeable parts) are added as the semi-finished assembly moves from workstation to workstation where the parts are added in se ...
is located in Leipzig
Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as ...
.
In November 2010, the Leipzig plant was retooled add electric vehicle assembly lines, with an investment totaling euros () through 2013. The plant is located at BMW's complex that already produces variants of the 1 Series model. Four 2.5 MW Nordex
Nordex SE is a European company that designs, sells and manufactures wind turbines. The company's headquarters is located in the German city of Rostock while management is situated in Hamburg. Production takes place in Rostock as well as in China ...
wind turbines at Leipzig came online in 2013, supplying approximately of the factory's electricity needs.[ A concept version of the BMW i3 Coupe reflecting the current status of ongoing development was presented at the March 2013 Geneva Motor Show.] The production vehicle was officially unveiled simultaneously in New York, London and Beijing on 29 July 2013. Series production for retail customers began on 18 September 2013, and the first vehicle off the production line was handed over to German marathon runner Jan Fitschen
Jan Gerrit Fitschen (born 2 May 1977 in Nordhorn) is a German long-distance runner, competing for TV Wattenscheid 01.
At the 1999 Under 23 European Championships he finished fifth over the 5000 metres. He was German champion over 5000 m ...
. The car was used as the lead vehicle at the 2013 Berlin Marathon
The 2013 Berlin Marathon was the 40th edition of the Berlin Marathon, held in Berlin, Germany. It took place on Sunday, 29 September. The race was sponsored by BMW, being officially titled the BMW Berlin Marathon.
The men's race was won by Wilson ...
on 29 September.[
, BMW was producing an average of 70 cars a day, about half the planned production, with lower production due to a high defect rate in the carbon parts. A subsequent investment of about in the production of carbon parts was made to solve the supply problems. According to BMW, there were 11,000 orders at the time, including 1,200 from U.S. customers. As a result of the high demand and the slow production rate, delivery waiting time extended to September 2014.
, production of the BMW i3 was just over 120 cars per day. By late October 2017, the 100,000th BMW i3 had been built in the Leipzig plant. 700 storage batteries taken from used i3 vehicles were linked as the "Storage Farm" at Leipzig in 2017, allowing the automaker to offset the intermittent nature of wind power.] The 200,000th i3 rolled off the production line in the Leipzig plant on 15 October 2020. The end of production is slated for July 2022 with a production target of 250,000 units.
Marketing and sales
Production
Production may refer to:
Economics and business
* Production (economics)
* Production, the act of manufacturing goods
* Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services)
* Production as a stati ...
began on 18 September 2013. , the BMW i3 was available in 74 countries.[
The first i3 deliveries to retail customers in Europe took place at an official market launch ceremony held in ]Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Ha ...
on 15 November 2013. The first delivery to a retail customer in the U.S. took place in May 2014. At its market launch, pricing in the United States started at before any government incentives, and the range extender option an additional . Prices in Germany started from (). Pricing in the UK started at () before the applicable government grant
A grant is a fund given by an end entity grant – often a public body, charitable foundation, or a specialised grant-making institution – to an individual or another entity (usually, a non-profit organisation, sometimes a business or a local ...
.
After its release BMW, like many other plug-in electric carmakers at the time, faced weak reception of its electric car lineup. BMW expected to sell at least 30,000 units a year from 2014. Global sales passed the 10,000 unit mark in September 2014, 25,000 units in May 2015, and the 50,000 unit milestone was achieved in July 2016. Cumulative global sales attained the 150,000 unit mark by mid 2019.
The i3 was the world's third best all-time selling all-electric car in 2016, after the Nissan Leaf
The , stylized as LEAF, is a compact five-door hatchback battery electric vehicle (BEV) manufactured by Nissan. It was introduced in Japan and the United States in December 2010, and its second generation was introduced in October 2017. The Lea ...
and the Tesla Model S
The Tesla Model S is a battery-powered liftback car serving as the flagship model of Tesla, Inc. The Model S features a dual-motor, all-wheel drive layout, although earlier versions of the Model S featured a rear-motor and rear-wheel drive ...
, with more than 65,000 units sold worldwide since its inception. The i3 also ranked third by sales among all-electric cars sold worldwide for three years in a row, from 2014 to 2016.[ ''See also detailed 2016 sales and cumulative global sales in the two graphs.''][ ''The ]Tesla Model S
The Tesla Model S is a battery-powered liftback car serving as the flagship model of Tesla, Inc. The Model S features a dual-motor, all-wheel drive layout, although earlier versions of the Model S featured a rear-motor and rear-wheel drive ...
was the top selling plug-in electric car in 2015 (50,366), followed by the Nissan Leaf
The , stylized as LEAF, is a compact five-door hatchback battery electric vehicle (BEV) manufactured by Nissan. It was introduced in Japan and the United States in December 2010, and its second generation was introduced in October 2017. The Lea ...
(about 43,000), the Mitsubishi Outlander P-HEV
The is a mid-size
crossover SUV manufactured by Japanese
automaker Mitsubishi Motors. It was originally known as the when it was introduced in Japan in 2001.
The original Airtrek name was chosen to "describe the vehicle's ability to transpo ...
(about 39,000), the BYD Qin
The BYD Qin (pronounced "Chin") is a compact sedan developed by BYD Auto, available as an all-electric car, as a plug-in hybrid and as an internal combustion engine vehicle.
The plug-in hybrid variant (which was the only variant available in t ...
(31,898) and the BMW i3 (24,057).''[ ''A total of 16,052 i3s were sold in 2014, with global cumulative sales since their introduction totaling 17,529 units through the end of 2014.'']
By the end of 2021, i3 sales since inception totaled over 220,000 units delivered worldwide. , Germany listed as the i3 top selling country market with 47,536 units sold, followed by the United States with 45,098 units. Norway is also a top market with 28,605 new units registered through January 2022.[ '', cumulative BMW i3 registrations totaled 30,175 cars, of which, 1,570 were used imports.''] The Norwegian market has the world's highest i3 penetration per capita
''Per capita'' is a Latin phrase literally meaning "by heads" or "for each head", and idiomatically used to mean "per person". The term is used in a wide variety of social sciences and statistical research contexts, including government statistic ...
. In November 2016, the BMW i3 topped new passenger car monthly sales in Norway. U.S. sales ended in July 2021.
Global sales
The following table presents annual retail sales or registrations of the i3 top selling national markets through December 2021 for both variants of the BMW i3, except when noted.
Reception
The BMW i3 won the Geneva Auto Show
The Geneva International Motor Show is an annual auto show held in March in the Swiss city of Geneva. The show is hosted at the Palexpo, a convention centre located next to the Geneva Cointrin International Airport. The Salon is organised by th ...
Car Design of the Year award for 2013 in the production category; an iF Product Design Gold Award for "the incorporation of sustainability in all facets of the interieur and exterieur design"; the 2014 World Green Car of the Year; the 2014 World Car Design of the Year, UK Car of the Year 2014, UK Best Super-mini of 2014 and Green Car Journal
''Green Car Journal'' a monthly publication created in 1992, now published as an annual, focuses on green vehicles and environmentally friendly energy and technologies. The founder and editor is Ron Cogan. Co-founder and executive publisher thro ...
's 2015 Green Car of the Year
The Green Car of the Year is a ''Car of the Year'' award from the ''Green Car Journal''.
The winner is selected by an 11-member panel comprising automotive and environmental experts. Invited jurors have included Mario Andretti; Carroll Shelby, Ja ...
Award.
In Australia, the BMW i3 received the 2014 Wheels Car of the Year
''Wheels'' Car of the Year (commonly abbreviated to COTY) is an annual automotive ''Car of the Year'' award presented by ''Wheels'' magazine. The publisher claims that it is the world's oldest continuous motoring award of its kind. The award is gi ...
by Wheels Magazine
''Wheels'' is an Australian automotive magazine owned by Are Media. The publication is well-renowned by Australian car enthusiasts. Its main competitor within the Australian car magazine market is ''Motor'', though ''Wheels'' and ''Motor'' are ...
. In South Africa the i3 received "Design of the Year" and "Game Changer of the Year" in 2016 by the automotive websit
cars.co.za
At the 2017 New York International Auto Show the 94 Ah i3 was named the inaugural winner of the "World Urban Car of the Year".
See also
* Automatic parking
* Electric car use by country
Electric car use by country varies worldwide, as the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles is affected by consumer demand, market prices, availability of charging infrastructure, and government policies, such as purchase incentives and long ...
* Government incentives for plug-in electric vehicles
Government incentives for plug-in electric vehicles have been established around the world to support policy-driven adoption of plug-in electric vehicles. These incentives mainly take the form of purchase rebates, tax exemptions and tax credits, ...
* List of electric cars currently available
This is a list of battery electric vehicles that are mass-produced, formerly produced, and planned. It includes only vehicles exclusively using chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs, with no secondary source of propulsion (e.g ...
* List of modern production plug-in electric vehicles
This is a list of battery electric vehicles that are mass-produced, formerly produced, and planned. It includes only vehicles exclusively using chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs, with no secondary source of propulsion (e.g ...
* List of production battery electric vehicles
This is a list of battery electric vehicles that are mass-produced, formerly produced, and planned. It includes only vehicles exclusively using chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs, with no secondary source of propulsion ( ...
* Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility
The Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility (PUMA) was an experimental electrically powered road vehicle created by Segway and adopted by General Motors as a concept vehicle representing the future of urban transportation. It operates on two w ...
References
External links
BMW i3 official website
BMW i3 road test
BMW i3 (Mega City)- first spy shots
BMW i3 REx vs. Chevrolet Volt: two different approaches to plug-in hybrids
Torque News, June 2014
; Video
BMW i3. From the first idea to the final car
BMW, July 2014 (YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
)
{{BMW vehicles
i3
Subcompact cars
Hatchbacks
Police vehicles
Production electric cars
Electric city cars
Euro NCAP small family cars
Cars introduced in 2013
Hybrid electric vehicles