BMW i3 Test Drive

Exterior

Futuristic lines that can please or not for this car that is four meters long , one wide and one 78, one high and one 58. Tradotti means habitability for four not particularly "shaded" ones, with a 257 centimeter pitch that allows comfort behind it in front does not sit an extralarge driver. It certainly strikes the design of the car, which in front offers a particularly compressed bonnet, the BMW stylized and revived keychain 3.0 , the electric one, and intriguing optical units that however have dazzling halogen. In lateral cut, in addition to the keyless entry and the 19-inch rims, the rear doors that open in the opposite direction to the front are particularly striking. Windscreen, have the unquestionable value of astonishment, but a couple of discomfort: 1. can not be opened or closed, provided that the front ones are open; 2. It makes it difficult to load a baby or a newborn if we have a car parked at our side (watch the video to figure out exactly what we mean). Behind the trunk is not large, but is added to the front cockpit available in the hood. On the other hand, with an electric, every little possibility in the inset becomes an added value. On the side of the passenger we have two nozzles : the first one, the front one, is for petrol, the second, the rear, it is for electric recharging. Combo or Mennekes the two opportunities.

Interior

Futuristic , like the outside lines. Composite materials make it a master and everything is aimed at maximizing the maximum weight of the car, which still stands at 15 quintals. The rear windows do not lower and remain fixed, in front we have a lot of visibility but the chromatic choice of composite material on the dashboard makes everything reflective on the windshield in particular light conditions. The abundant drivers will be excused because of the lack of central tunnel, replaced by a minimal dashboard where drive, reverse, neutral and parking place on a large satellite spot near a steering wheelwhich is surrounded by a blue line, to suggest once again that blue is the color of the electric. The dashboard line is futuristic: everything seems suspended, and there are two displays to provide us with all the relevant information. The first one, in front of the driver's eyes, hides information related to the on-board computer, residual charge, travel speed, and even acceleration opportunities on a wake-up scale that changes when the electric charge drops. Always here we can read the automatic and trouble-free passage between the electric and the gas system, which does not draw traction on wheels, but turns fuel into energy, useful to drive another hundred kilometers. The central display is the infotainment port, which also provides remote connectivity via the Bmw app with which we can program charging and switching on the air conditioner. The latter, monosone, helps in more than just refreshing the cabin, completing the operation in minutes. Available for the front occupants the storage compartments are also missing, and are also suspended like the rest of the dashboard. From the key, we can change our driving mode, choosing between comfort, eco and eco plus. Behind the access is not particularly uncomfortable despite the particular design of the doorman. We only have a certain degree of heaviness but habitability, apart from space, no head or leg problem. Isofix hooks are easily reached, in front of the driver's seat can be manually adjusted, including height and sledge guidance. Even the steering wheel, as always on Bmw, is oriented in height and depth. The luggage compartment offers more than 200 to over 1100 liters of loading capacity, and a small utility bag for small luggage is added in front of it. The openings are obviously manual.

Engines

The Bmw i3 electric motor offers different routes depending on the use . It is more or less the talk of gasoline, but almost turned upside down: if the first in the city we have a greater need for fuel while on the highway or at 110 hours less is required, the electric is rewarding uniform driving on the state , but even in the city over the highways. In the daytime we are around the 200 km track in the mix, which can also increase by 10% if we care about how to act optimally on the accelerator, but also get down to 30% if we demand all the power on the highway. In this view, we can help the range extender, which comes automatically but under a percentageof charge (70%) can be manually inserted by the driver to maintain the electrical charge. The range extender translates into an electric 650-centimeter cubic centimeter engine, which at the tank level holds just under ten liters of green gasoline, and offers the ability to drive for another hundred kilometers waiting to find a column. It is undoubtedly the missing ring on the first electric to live calmly. If we think the biggest problem for electric cars is managing unexpectedly, with this range extender we go back to canon models and we have no problems anymore. The down side of the thing is, however, that by purchasing this i3 with a range extenderwe will not be able to point to some tax benefits in the big cities (for example, Milan, where we will pay the stamp and where we can not use free of charge parking fees or those reserved for residents.) At performance level, with Bmw i3 we accelerate from zero to one hundred just under 8 seconds , and reach a top speed of 150 km / h. It's also here the talk of always, with so many available couples and a guide in total silence, as long as the two-cylinder Bmw does not start all that is enough noisy.

Driving sensations (steering clutch change)

As we wrote at the beginning, we drove for over a thousand kilometers this Bmw i3, from city trains to freeways, and adding several miles to the hill and mountain. In general, the electric guitar would require you some more planning if there was no range extender , but starting with some tranquility is a decisive ring in the driving experience of this i3. What we would not expect is definitely a particularly direct steering : it certainly is precise, it does not harden at high speeds, and therefore requires some attention on the highway. Driving modes have the advantage of helping us improve our autonomy: in eco pro we have an optimized air conditioning and a maximum speed of 130 hours, in eco pro plus we do not have the air conditioning and we can drive up to 90 kilometers per hour. A remarkable help, especially in the first use and in the first kilometers of driving on i3 . The two-cylinder electric guide does not feel , but pay attention to the temperatures: in one case, the air conditioner has failed, along with obviously the power that has been cut to allow us to improve the distance. We must always remember that being an electric, this i3 must be driven mostly with the accelerator, as the "engine brake" in release is very powerful. It likes to see this behavior on the highway: if the car is released, the car does not brake abruptly but decelerates quietly for a few tenths of a meter, before starting braking in a more substantial way, automatically switching on the stops. This attitude is rewarding especially in the city, where with some habit and experience we will almost never touch the brake. Just in the city, however, we will miss the opportunity to choose between a standard "engine brake" and a damped "engine brake", an availability that we have for example on Tesla and that helps us drive the car more in a traditional way. The emergency brake requires a bit more space than normal.

Active security systems

There are still active systems , and there is also traffic jam. It is, however, optional , which in our case we only had in part. Very abrupt instead the adaptive cruise control, which did not always, at least on our model, resulted in fluidity . However, it is convenient to activate the safety systems, directly on the steering wheel, for the most part.

Other optional

The air conditioner is monotone but it works well, as well as the retro-camera that helps us a lot in the maneuvers. The infotainment system offers a variety of listening possibilities to musicians, but are largely remote functions at will. As we speak of Bmw, and therefore of a German manufacturer, there are tens and dozens of accessories.

Target, prices and conclusions

The target can range from the environment-aware driver to those who choose Bmw i3 as the second machine to squeeze the eye out of the climate, from the radical chic who does not like half-measures to those who feel ready for the future. We certainly enjoyed it, even though it has some flaws. Also the price is not affordable. It starts from the 37,000 euros of the 60Ah electric model and rises to 43,250 of the 94 Ah electric model including extender range. Additionally, the options are added: in our case, we have climbed over 50,000 euros.

Spesification

Engine in Trial (94Ah with Range Extender, data provided) 
Displacement: 650 cubic centimeters 
Cylinder number: 2 in line 
Power: 38 horses 
Pair: 55 Nm at 4300 rpm 
Gearbox: None 
Traction: Rear 
Consumption km / liter: we can depending on the use, about 200-250 kilometers in the mix with the electric motor, which then goes to the gasoline when the electric charge is exhausted 
CO2 emissions per km: 13 grams

Performance: 
Maximum speed: 150 km 
0-100 hours : 7.9 seconds

Dimensions: 
Length / Width / Height in cm: 400/178/158 
Step: 257 cm 
Cargo: 260-1100 liters 
Tires: 19 inches 
Weight: 1515 kg