BMW i3
The BMW i3 is an electric car that was manufactured by German marque BMW from 2013 to 2022. The i3 was BMW's first mass-produced zero emissions vehicle and was launched as part of BMW's electric vehicle BMW i sub-brand. It is a B-segment, high-roof hatchback with an electric powertrain. It uses rear-wheel drive via a single-speed transmission and an underfloor lithium-ion battery pack with an optional range-extending petrol engine.
Styled by Richard Kim, the i3 is a five-door with a passenger module of high strength, ultra-lightweight carbon fibre reinforced polymer adhered to an aluminium chassis, battery, drive system and powertrain. The body features two clamshell rear-hinged rear doors.
The i3 debuted as a concept at the 2011 International Motor Show Germany, and production began in September 2013 in Leipzig.
It ranked third amongst electric cars sold worldwide from 2014 to 2016. Its global sales totaled 250,000 units by the end of 2022. Germany was its biggest market with over 47,500 units delivered through December 2021, followed by the U.S. with over 45,000.
The i3 won two World Car of the Year Awards, selected as 2014 World Green Car of the Year and as 2014 World Car Design of the Year. The i3 received an iF Product Design Gold Award, and won 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, to market vehicles produced under Project i. BMW i vehicles were to be sold separately from BMW or Mini. The first two production models are the BMW i3, formerly called the Mega City Vehicle, and the plug-in hybrid BMW i8, the production version of the Vision Efficient Dynamics concept unveiled at the 2009 International Motor Show Germany, which has an all-electric range of. Production of both cars was scheduled to start in Leipzig in 2013.BMW incorporated lessons learned during the field testing of the Mini E and the BMW ActiveE into the design of the i3, in particular the battery and powertrain, achievable range, and the use of one pedal driving in urban traffic areas.
Concept vehicles
The i3 concept car was unveiled at the 2011 International Motor Show. This prototype had a lithium-ion battery pack that delivered between. The battery 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.
BMW unveiled the i3 Concept Coupé study at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show. The concept car demonstrated the potential for extending the model range. The three-door hatchback coupe, like the five-door i3 electric hatchback sedan, was 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 was via a single-speed transmission. The li-ion battery pack was placed under the floor and could deliver an all-electric range of. A 34 horsepower REX petroleum engine could be added to extend the car's range to.
Launch
The production i3 was announced in July 2013 as a 2014 model year vehicle. Automotive press were invited to test drive the production cars in Amsterdam.The original battery capacity was 60 Ah or 22 kWh, with a net capacity of 19 kWh. The unladen DIN weight was, with the range extender.
In the United States, the i3 was available with one of three trim packages dictating the wheels and interior: Mega World, Giga World, and Tera World. 20" Style 430 double-spoke wheels were optional for Giga and Tera trims. In addition, two option packages were available: Parking Assistant and Technology – Driving Assistant. Wheel and tyre sizes varied by trim. The equivalent trim lines in the UK were named Standard/Atelier, Loft ; Lodge ; and Suite. 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 the 2017 model year BMW i3 would have a 94 Ah / 33 kWh battery, allowing increased range, in both the all-electric and range-extended versions. 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 by more than 50% without changes in exterior dimensions of the car. The electronics package was upgraded with new software mapping for the battery cooling system and the electric motor. With the larger battery, the unladen EU weight was, rising to with the range extender.The range of the REx model was increased 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 extenders, as the car had more gasoline-powered range than all-electric range, which would affect its status as a zero-emissions vehicle 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 visual stance of the i3s was widened with the addition of fender flares.In 2017, BMW announced the addition of the i3s 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, faster acceleration, and a SPORT drive mode. The i3s features a wider track width at, compared to 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 EU 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 battery for the i3. Minor alterations to the i3 included new color options, adaptive headlights and 429 wheels as standard. 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 EU 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 and BMW i4 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, 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.
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. BMW took advantage of the absence of a forward internal combustion engine, giving the i3 a "clean sheet design" with a sports-like appearance.The i3 includes four doors and seating for four occupants with rear clamshell doors. 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 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 than typical passenger car tires. Bridgestone call this combination of changes "ologic", supplying similar tires to World Solar Challenge teams.
At launch Bridgestone were the sole tyre supplier for the BMW i3, but since launch Nankang, Continental and recently Michelin have begun to supply 155 and 175 widths.