BMW i3 review: A city car for the future

Elle Cayabyab Gitlin / Aurich Lawson

With the new i3 electric vehicle (EV) city car, BMW is makinga pretty clear statementthe company is serious about designing and building cars properly adapted for the 21st century. Its a radical departure from the Bavarian automakers mainstream offerings, looking like little else on the road. In fact, its looksalone are polarizing enough for some people to dismiss it instantly (looking at you, Senior Reviews Editor Lee Hutchinson). But keep an open mind about the i3'sappearance, and you too may discover that its actually a very impressive little machine.

The i3 is part of a two-car 'capsule collection' called Project i, the other half being the stunning i8 hybrid sports car (first seen as a concept car in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol). The Project i cars use a range of alternative and sustainable materials in their construction along with electric or hybrid powertrains, but the automobiles retain BMWs traditional emphasis on driving dynamics. Whats more, like the Tesla Model S, they aim to do so without the hair shirt that can be all too common with EVs. We plan to take a closer look at the i8 in the coming months, butBMW was kind enough to supply us with an i3 for a few days recently. Of the two, the i3 is undoubtedly the more relevant, particularly since it doesnt come with a six-figure price tag. Butwith itsunusual aesthetic and the still-in-progress adoption of EV infrastructure, is the i3 the car for an efficiency-minded city dweller?

Theres no denying it, the i3s exterior is radical and attracts some attention: not as much as a bright yellow Corvette perhaps, but over the course of a week several people approached us as we were parking or stopped in traffic wanting to know more about it. We got more than a few double takes from people in other cars while on the road as well. Whats certain is that the i3clearly signals to people that youre driving something different, an effectthe Toyota Prius benefited from in the beginning as well.

The i3s body shares some traits with other cars designed primarily for an urban environment (such as the Mercedes-Benz Smart). It has a wheel at each corner and very short overhangs, including a very short hood. However, unlike most cars designed for cities, the i3 isnt a two-seater. Whats more, despite the compact external dimensions, it has quite a lot of room inside. In fact, BMW will tell you the car has the same footprint as its 1-series while maintaining as much interior room as the larger (and best-selling) 3-Series.

Similar to Teslas Model S, the i3 was designed from the ground up as an EV. The car has two principal components. What BMW terms the Life Module is a carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer safety cell, and this sits atop an aluminum Drive Module containing the powertrain and batteries. The electric motor can be found at the rear, between the rear wheels, as can the range-extender internal combustion engine when fitted. Keeping the mechanicals and the batteries low down imbues the i3 with a low center of gravity that belies its upright stance and pays dividends with regard to its handling.

BMW

A cutaway illustration of the i3

BMW

A cutaway illustration of the i3

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BMW i3 review: A city car for the future