Set to make its debut on July 29 in China, the BMW i3 will be the first premium car designed from the ground up to be powered by an electric system. The i3 uses an electric motor mounted in close proximity to the driven rear axle which delivers 170 hp and a maximum torque of 250 Nm. Weighing just 50 kg, the engine is capable to push the i3 from 0 to 60 km/h in 3.7 seconds and to 100 km/h in 7.2 seconds. The single-pedal control concept in the BMW i3 configured by the
BMW Group’s drive system development engineers also contributes to the engaging driving experience. Recuperation mode is activated the moment the driver takes his foot off the accelerator.
The electric motor switches from drive to generator mode, feeding power into the lithium-ion battery. BMW says that the lithium-ion battery will enable the i3 to achieve a range of 130 to 160 km. The range rises by 20 km in the ECO PRO mode and by the same distance again in ECO PRO+ mode.
If the customer wants to, the i3 is also available with a range-extender engine a.k.a. a 650cc two-cylinder petrol engine delivering 34 hp, mounted immediately adjacent to the electric motor above the rear axle. Using the petrol engine, the range is extended to 300 km. Charging the battery to an 80 percent level takes about half an hour from a public fast-charging station, while a full charge is completed in around six hours when using the optional BMW I Wallbox.
