BMW has unveiled the i3 electric car in its production version simultaneously in three locations – New York, London and Beijing. The BMW i3 is the manufacturer’s first series production pure electric car and the company has received 90,000 bookings in one day alone. The i3 is intended to provide low running costs with hassle free maintenance. Powering the i3 is an electric motor mounted above the rear axle, which produces 168 BHP of power and 250 Nm of torque, mated to a single ratio gearbox.
The BMW i3 has a range of 130 – 160 kms, which can be extended to 300 kms via the range extender optional pack. The range extender maintains the charge of the lithium ion battery at a constant level. It is a 2-cylinder petrol motor producing 34 HP of power. The BMW i3 is capable of doing the 0-100 km/hr sprint in 7.2 seconds with a top speed of 150 km/hr, which is limited for efficiency reasons. The passenger cell of the BMW i3 is made of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP).
The interiors of the BMW i3 are luxurious yet practical, which gives you a sense of space, loaded with high-tech features. The vehicle will be launched in Germany and other European markets in November 2013, while the launch in USA, China, Japan and several other markets is due in the first half of 2014. The BMW i3 in Germany will come with a starting price of 34,950 Euros (Rs. 27.68 lakhs). The Range Extender comes optional, which is priced at 39,450 Euros (Rs. 31.25 lakhs). BMW has no immediate plans of bringing the i3 to India due to poor electric vehicle infrastructure, although the company is quite interested in launching the product in our country.
