When I let off the gas it says "Zzzz" and stops in front of the pedestrian crossing.
Look-and-feel
- Futuristic, I thought, when I got into the BMW i3. The frameless side window automatically lowers slightly when you open the door. Clean lines, flat screen and electronics - an environment for smart people in office suits and smart suits with computer bags. I quickly found a decent sitting position, but felt that the seats could have had a little more lateral support. Anyway, the interior of this car is different from anything else I've seen. It is gray with blue details that emphasize the electric car theme.
The key must not be inserted anywhere. You just need to have it close to use the Start/Stop button. If you start without keeping your foot on the brake, the ignition will turn on in radio mode, while you have to keep your foot on the brake to put your foot in ready mode. On newer BMWs there is a separate button on the gear lever for "Park". I find an ordinary "PRND" gear lever to be more intuitive.
The quality of buttons, switches and plastic feels good. Parts of the dashboard and doors are covered with a teddy lining-like fabric that looks pretty cool. The er not teddy lining, but a material that is certainly easy to recycle the day the car ends up in the press.
I also noted the good radio sound, parking sensor and navigation. I like the car's dark gray colour, which harmonizes well with the BMW's large black surfaces.
Driving pleasure
170 horses at 1200 kilograms sounds good. The torque of 250 Nm is available from a standstill, and parks most people at traffic lights. The car both er and feels fast in city traffic, for example when merging into traffic. But I experienced a striking number of MGIF drivers in traffic (MGIF - Must Get In First), something I never experienced in the e-Golf I drove a few days ago.
- Don't they see a difference between a BMW i3 and a Think?
On the country road, I noticed that you sit quite high. I looked down on ordinary cars, while high-built cars, such as the Volkswagen Tiguan, were on the same level. The power was absolutely raw. I felt it well along Gamle Mossevei where I constantly had to pass training cyclists from 30 km/h. I also felt that I could take the turns at good speed. It seemed as if the car settled down in the turns. It felt safe.
Behind the wheel of the i3, you will particularly notice the steering and the engine brake. The steering does not straighten. You must "herd" the car through the entire turn. A minus for driving pleasure along winding country roads. You notice another whimsy when you let off the gas. Then you get a fairly powerful engine brake, which is actually a charging function. As soon as you ease off the gas a little, you can see on the charge meter that the batteries are being supplied with power. If you lift the accelerator suddenly, the car will brake quite significantly. It doesn't take long before you get used to braking with the gas without using the brake pedal.
On the e-Golf, I could choose to put the engine brake on via the gear lever or let the wheels run freely when I let off the gas. I am convinced that you can save a lot of energy by making optimal use of the freewheel effect. You are therefore not allowed to do this by BMW, but still I think that the i3 was more economical than the e-Golf.
You can drive the BMW i3 in three modes, "Comfort", "Eco Pro" and "Eco Pro+". I mostly drove "Eco Pro" because I experienced little difference between "Eco Pro" and "Eco Pro+" except for the change in air conditioning and the self-imposed speed limit of 90 km/h.
I know people who without the slightest fear drive their i3 from Oslo to Hvaler without charging en route. I haven't measured the range, but after a leisurely ride of 81 kilometres, I had only used a little over half of the capacity. It's not bad, but since I sometimes suffer from range anxiety, I would prefer the "i3 Plug-in Hybrid" which has an auxiliary motor that charges the batteries while driving.
Too bad you have to pay full fees for it.
Comfort
I don't think the term "premium" fits the i3, but there is still a form of well-being here. What I like best is the soundscape. I think the tires were less audible than in the e-Golf, but then it's also about a completely different dimension, 155/70R19, narrow and tall - with lots of rubber. It was possible to hear a faint engine sound when applying the gas, but the coolest sound of all is the one you get when you let off the gas and let the car stop by itself, for example in front of pedestrians. "Zzzz-eee-uh" - a very futuristic sound.
The comfort while driving is good. It handles bumps and potholes in the road nicely, even in places where I expected to take a hit. I guess the big wheels have the credit for that.
Place
In reality, the i3 is only a 2+2 seater, that is, 2 proper seats, and 2 small seats for children and short trips. Considering that the car's total length is 400 cm, it should be possible to design a proper back seat, but here I assume that the batteries are to blame. I feel that the designers of the i3 have not focused very much on space as you would expect in a family car. In terms of style, the i3 doesn't distinguish itself from being a family car either. It is, as previously mentioned, a car for office workers with a PC bag.
Safety
According to NCAP, the i3 ends up in the middle between small family cars and superminis. What makes it not at the top is because modern safety assistance programs are not available, such as adaptive cruise control.
I fear the powerful engine brake can create dangerous situations on winter roads for drivers who are not used to both accelerating and braking with the same pedal. If the rear wheels should start to slip when braking against an intersection, I hope the ABS and ESC (stability control) will take over to prevent the rear end from spinning out. With the i3 in traffic, I was worried that the car's powerful engine braking could inadvertently hit the cars behind. After all, I can't be notified via the brake pedal without first lifting the gas foot, - and activating the brake lights with my left leg, I consider it a trick for those who are particularly interested. Well, in accordance this video so the brake lights come on when the engine brake takes effect. It is good.
Economy
Buying an electric car is good value for money because of low tax, high demand for used ones, and - not least - the fact that you can fill the batteries at home for a couple of tenners.
The base price for the BMW i3 is barely under 250, but these days BMW has a campaign where you also get the fairly necessary comfort package with automatic climate control etc. for 259.
If you want the new i3 Plug-in Hybrid, the price increases to 359 for the same equipment. It is a shame that the Norwegian tax system does not give advantages to such solutions, i.e. electric cars with petrol-powered charging engines.
On the minus side for electric cars comes the danger that new advances, especially with regard to battery technology, could lower the demand for yesterday's electric cars.
With advanced technology and futuristic design, BMW signals that electric cars are about more than a drivetrain.
- Very strong performances
- Nice sound while driving
- Requires some getting used to
- Impractical and small rear seats
See
