BMW i3 Range-Extender
BMW’s current success can be attributed to its brilliant range of high-performance petrol and diesel cars, but with its hi-tech i3 the company has shown it has one eye on the future.In fact BMW is now an industry leader when it comes to electric models, and to prove it, the innovative i3 is packed with hi-tech materials and cutting-edge engineering. Plus, with a punchy 168bhp motor and traditional rear-wheel-drive layout, it’s as entertaining to drive as any ‘normal’ BMW – although with its own characteristic feel. It’s also the first mass-produced car to feature a lightweight carbon-fibre composite body structure.
The boldly styled BMW i3 hatchback is available in both pure electric and range-extending guises, the later including an optional motorcycle engine that keeps the batteries topped up on longer journeys.Without the range extender the BMW i3’s range stands at anywhere between about 80 miles and 125 miles depending on how you drive; with the range-extender those numbers could double.It doesn’t take long behind the wheel of the i3 to realise that it’s infused with BMW’s trademark fun driving experience.A high-set driving position, excellent visibility and light controls help the i3 take crowded city streets in its stride, while the electric motor’s instant response lets you zip through gaps in the traffic with confidence.
Surprisingly, it’s on twisting back roads where the i3 feels least composed. The steering is quick and well weighted, and there’s more grip than you’d expect from the thin tyres, but hit a mid-corner bump and the tall i3 quickly becomes unsettled.
Surprisingly, it’s on twisting back roads where the i3 feels least composed. The steering is quick and well weighted, and there’s more grip than you’d expect from the thin tyres, but hit a mid-corner bump and the tall i3 quickly becomes unsettled.
The short-travel suspension struggles to contain large body movements, plus there’s plenty of roll. It never feels like it’s going to lose control, and the stability control intervenes smoothly, but it’s enough to make you take things a bit easier.
The BMW i3 is available as a purely electric vehicle or as a petrol-electric hybrid range-extender. That means you've a choice between a car that has only an electric motor, so you can only travel as far as the batteries last.
The range-extender (sometimes referred to as REX) couples the motors with a small engine that charges the batteries when you're on the move, like a portable generator. That makes it the better choice if you make the occasional longer journey, although both models benefit from a government grant that makes them cheaper to buy.
The BMW i3 competes with electric cars such as the Renault ZOE and Nissan Leaf, as well as hybrid vehicles such as the Vauxhall Ampera and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.
Unlike the Mitsubishi, the BMW i3 doesn't disguise its clever technology under a conventional body. Instead, it has space-age styling and features such as a flat floor and back doors that hinge from the rear rather than the front. Underneath the i3 is made from carbon fibre, a material that is both light and strong - and traditionally extremely expensive. BMW has developed a clever process to create the material using renewable energy so it keeps the cost - and carbon footprint - of the car as low as possible.
The i3 also feels high-tech when you get underway. Both the electric and range-extending versions have an impressive turn of speed from a standstill, although if you regularly travel long distances, only the latter model makes sense
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