BMW i3 Electric City Car (concept)

BMW claim that it’s new $35,000 Chevy Volt-beater will have 99 miles of range from its rear-mounted electric motor and floor-mounted batteries.

BMW (being BMW) is also claiming 100 mph for the car’s top speed, and the i3 could bring the equivalent of 150 horsepower. Cargo will be divided between the rear seats and in the front trunk (a la the original, rear-engine VW Beetle). Much of the body will be made of carbon-reinforced plastic. BMW (being BMW) is also claiming 100 mph for the car’s top speed, and the i3 could bring the equivalent of 150 horsepower. Cargo will be divided between the rear seats and in the front trunk (a la the original, rear-engine VW Beetle). Much of the body will be made of carbon-reinforced plastic. BMW (being BMW) is also claiming 100 mph for the car’s top speed, and the i3 could bring the equivalent of 150 horsepower. Cargo will be divided between the rear seats and in the front trunk (a la the original, rear-engine VW Beetle). Much of the body will be made of carbon-reinforced plastic.

The i3 will be BMW's first zero emissions mass produced vehicle due to its electric powertrain, and BMW also expects to be the first company to launch a volume production vehicle on the market featuring carbon-fiber reinforced plastic to improve the vehicle's energy consumption. Previously expected to be priced in the U.S. at around US$35,000 (€24,500)., the BMW i3 will more likely be in the US$43,000 - US$50,000 (€35,000 - €40,000) range according to an unnamed source close to BMW.

Design and technology

BMW explained that taking advantage of the fact that the vehicle does not need an internal combustion engine up front, the i3 is being designed from the ground up, but avoiding to look podlike, with a dynamic sweep of the roof and the beltine to make it look sportier than most electrics.In order to achieve a lightweight car, the i3 will be the first mass production car to have most of its internal structure and body being made of carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP)As of November 2010, BMW has only demonstrated the light weight of the passenger compartment, and the automaker's Chief Executive said they have already decided on the basic design of the car and that road-testing prototypes will begin soon.
The i3 will feature four doors and seating for four occupants with dimensions being slightly larger than the MINI Cooper and BMW 1 Series but smaller than the BMW 3 Series. The i3 will be powered by a newly developed powertrain consisting of a 134 horsepower electric motor running on lithium-ion batteries and driving the rear axle.^[7] BMW is aiming to achieve a 160 km (100 mi) range, the same expected for the BMW ActiveE, but in order to reduce weight with a battery capacity of 16 kWh instead of the ActiveE's 30 kWh. A range extended version that functions similarly to the Chevrolet Volt is also being considered by BMW.
The BMW i3 is likely to feature a single pedal that acts as both accelerator and brake. When the driver releases the pedal, the vehicle's kinetic energy is used to power a generator that recharges the battery. This has the effect of slowing the car down. During the field testing of the Mini E, which features an accelerator that recharges the battery in this way, and brakes that only apply to the rear wheels, BMW has learned that drivers tend to rely on the single pedal: some 75% of all deceleration maneuvers are initiated without the brake while in urban traffic. BMW also expects that the i3 will use the same type of battery and powertrain that will be tested in the BMW ActiveE trials.

The prototype presented at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show has a 22 kWh (79 MJ) lithium-ion battery pack that is expected to deliver between 130 to 160 km (80 to 100 mi) and the battery will take about four hours to fully charge from the 240-volt charging unit. BMW is planning to offer an optional gasoline range-extender engine. The i3 is expected to go from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 60 mph) in less than 8 seconds. The BMW i3 has a 130 kW (170 hp) electric motor that will be mounted on the rear axle to drive the rear wheels . The top speed will be limited to 150 km/h (93 mph).
In June 2012 an updated version of the BMW i3 concept car was unveiled at the opening of the first BMW i store located at BMW’s London Park Lane showroom. The updated i3 concept has a new interior colour and materials concept. The seat covers combine responsibly sourced wool and naturally tanned leather using a tannin agent made from olive leaves. The almost symmetrical curving dash is inlaid with eucalyptus wood which BMW said is eucalyptus wood sourced from sustainable managed European forests, while information is fed to the driver through a 16.5 cm (6.5 in) freestanding instrument cluster and 22.3 cm (8.8 in) central information display. The wood is treated using natural materials, giving it a high-class finish and distinctive hue. There is no center tunnel bisecting the cabin, due to the bench-derived front seats and lack of floor-mounted transmission, brake levers or center console that make possible for a driver or passenger to slide to either side of the car to get out in tight parking spaces.