2017 BMW i3 review

Despite sales of just 254 of its compact i3 plug-in electric car over two years, BMW has confirmed its faith in the concept by doubling the number of variants available in Australia.

Like the original version, the new additions comprise a purely electric model and the same vehicle with a twin-cylinder petrol engine as a range-extender.

Known as the i3 94Ah, the name is derived from the 94 Ampere-hour battery array, up from the 60 Ampere-hour batteries of the original version which remains in showrooms.

The gruntier battery-pack gives the i3 a useable-energy increase to 27kW-hours (kWh) which can be converted to power to drive the vehicle.

That compares with figures of 19kWh for the 60 ampere-hour version, although both models have the same electric motor with potential to make an identical 125kW.

The new battery pack is physically the same as the old one, but is packed more densely with electrolytes which give it its bigger bang and increase the weight slightly.

So the real benefit is in terms of range, rather than performance.

In fact, the slightly heavier battery pack of the new model adds about 0.1 seconds to the car's 0-100km/h time (now about eight seconds flat).

But where the original i3 had a theoretical range of 160km/h, or 300km with the range extender option, the 94Ah model in purely electric form claims up to 245km and up to 370km with the petrol range-extender option.

In the real world, of course, the 94Ah is more likely to cover a maximum of 200km on charge alone once you factor in air-conditioner use and other sources of energy consumption.

The optional range-extending petrol engine is a 650cc twin-cylinder borrowed from BMW's motorcycle range and is used only to recharge the batteries, not drive the wheels. It makes 28kW and extends the range by as much as 130km.

But what BMW isn't telling everybody (and it could be to protect the car's electric-vehicle credentials) is that while ever you keep putting petrol in the range extender version, it'll keep the car moving at 110km/h, allowing it to drive interstate provided you can refuel every 130km. The 60Ah version with the range extender option can also achieve this.

In official tests, the range-extender version of the new 94Ah uses just 0.6 litres per 100km and has tailpipe emissions of 12g/km, but with depleted batteries, the consumption figures blows out to 6.9 litres per 100km, a little higher than its conventional hatchback brethren.

However, BMW says that's simply not the point of the i3, so it isn't being mentioned as a selling point even though it's a strong factor in overcoming range anxiety; a major stumbling block for many would-be buyers.

What hasn't changed over the original i3 is the basic architecture and the body construction. The vehicle retains rear-wheel-drive through a single-speed automatic transmission and the structure of the car is carbon-fibre. It still features the reverse-opening rear doors that require a backside-first entry to the rear seat and a pretty tight opening.

But once you're in, there's a surprising amount of legroom, although the i3 remains a strict four-seater and hatch space is at a bit of a premium thanks partly to the high floor.

Moving away is as simple as having the key in your pocket, pushing the on-off button and selecting a gear with the stubby wand to the right of the steering wheel.

The rest of the interior is a bit more science-experiment, though, with a slightly disjointed look to the amalgam of screens and buttons.

But there's real timber inside and lots of recyclable and renewable materials, although some of the door trim and dashboard material looks a bit like the flocked material that lines the boot of some sedans.

Acceleration comes on pretty hot and strong and the i3 has no trouble being first away from the lights. In fact, it throws you back in the seat a little and the sensation is magnified by the lack of noise as the BMW powers away with a strong, linear feel to the acceleration.

The i3's role as a city car isbacked up by its very short overall length (a whisker under four metres) and wheel-at-each-corner layout. Combined with a fast steering ratio that gives just 2.5 turns lock-to-lock, the i3 is a cinch for U-turns in narrow back streets. In fact, the turning circle is under 10 metres, making the i3 feel very agile and entertaining to steer in normal progress.

The disappointing element is the ride quality. For a car aimed at getting around town, the suspension seems overly firm and biased towards high-speed handling. And it's not as though the overall weight requires it to be stiffly sprung, as the carbon-fibre structure keeps total mass down to 1245kg in the purely electric version, and the batteries under the floor keep the centre of gravity low.

The tyres are probably partly to blame; they're low profile and low-rolling resistance units to improve efficiency. But they're also very narrow (for aerodynamics) and don't seem to offer a lot of grip as speeds increase. Probably a moot point, we reckon.

BMW will offer the i3 in three distinct trim levels starting with the entry-level 'Lodge' specification with specific timber trim pieces and interior colours.

The 'Loft' specification is a no-cost option to suit different tastes while there's also a $1538 'Suite' trim option that gains more upmarket materials, floor mats and LED courtesy lights for the door handles

Prices for the i3 start at $63,900 for the electric-only 60Ah model and $69,900 for the same car with the range extender. The new 94Ah model takes the purely electric version to $65,900 and the range-extender model to $71,900.

BMW expects almost all i3 purchases to be of the 94Ah model although the 60Ah will still be available upon request.

Battery anxiety

The big question for many electric-car and hybrid buyers is what happens when the battery pack dies.

For the record, BMW claims the i3's batteries will last the life of the car, but in tangible terms, that amounts to an eight-year/100,000km warranty.

At least the batteries are arranged in eight modules, meaning that a single module can be replaced if it fails prematurely, rather than the whole battery array.

The next question usually surrounds charging times.

BMW recommends that i3 buyers also purchase what it calls an iWallbox at $769 which is installed in the home or work garage.

It allows for a charge from zero to about 80 per cent in around eight hours. An 80 per cent charge gives the same 80 per cent of the potential range.

Using a ChargePoint unit (at no cost to the owner) can roughly halve that charging time, and the i3 comes with an Occasional Use Cable which plugs into any domestic power-point and can charge to 80 per cent in around 14 hours.

Future-proofing comes in the form of compatibility with the coming technology of rapid DC charging. When that infrastructure comes on line, BMW predicts the same 80 per cent charge will take around 40 minutes.

How green is green?

It's not just in the driving that the BMW i3 is an eco-warrior. Pretty much everything about the car is aimed at sustainability and leaving little or no footprint on the planet.

The i3 is produced in a German plant powered entirely by wind-turbines, as is the factory that produces the carbon-fibre for the car's structure.

As much as 80 per cent of the aluminium used in the i3 is either recycled or made with renewable energy. The interior trim is made from a combination of recycled polyester and wool and the interior timber is from sustainable plantations. Even the leather is tanned using olive leaf extract, a by-product of the olive oil industry.

2017 BMW i3 Price and Specifications

Price: from $63,900 (plus on-road costs)

On-sale: now

Engine: full electric / range-extender with 650cc twin-cylinder petrol

Power: 125kW

Torque: 250Nm

Transmission: Direct drive

Fuel Use: 0L/100km / 0.6L/100km

Ratings

Value    4

Performance     6

Economy             10

Safety   8

Handling              7

Comfort               4

Connectivity      9

Space    6

Servicing costs  10

Re-Sale value