Refreshed BMW i3 range increases

By Martin Pretorius

 

With just over 600 units sold locally over the last 4 years, it’s safe to say that the electric BMW i3 and i8 ranges haven’t exactly been setting the South African sales charts alight. Since BMW entered the electric vehicle (EV) market very early in the electric revolution, these two models served as useful test beds for new technology, receiving periodic upgrades as they become available. For its second model update, the i3 receives yet another new battery, adding to its driving range, as well as a slightly higher-performance “i3s” variant. 

 

What’s new?

At its international launch back in 2013 (with local arrival in 2015), the i3’s battery capacity of 60Ah (Ampere-hour) was about as capable as you’d find in any mass-market electric car. This was good enough for a driving range estimated at an acceptable 130 km, because, back then, nobody realistically expected more from a battery-powered car. 

As new technology subsequently emerged, an upgrade in 2016 increased battery capacity by more than 50% for new totals of 94Ah and 200 km. But, such is the march of advancement, that this battery has now been replaced by a 120Ah unit, making it good for up to 260 km – exactly double that of the first-generation i3.

A pleasant by-product of this boost in battery capacity is that there’s now a bit more spare oomph, enabling the higher-performance "i3s" to join the range as well. While the normal i3 retains its 125 kW electric motor, the new i3s raises this to 135 kW. It’s not a huge jump in power, but still cuts 0.4 seconds off the base model’s unchanged 7.3-second sprint from a standstill to 100 km/h. 

 

How do you tell them apart?

You can’t really, unless you look at very small details such as the body colour and cabin trim variations. Adaptive matrix LED headlights are newly optional across the range, however, and the front bumper sheds its round fog lights. Additionally, the i3s features a lowered sport suspension and wider tyres. But the i3 doesn’t really need a radically altered appearance anyway, because it still looks like it strayed from a futurist movie set...

Inside, it’s much the same as before, with new upholstery for the “Loft” interior styling package being the only obvious change. Connectivity receives a boost, however, as the new i3 can now optionally be had with wireless charging, a mobile wi-fi hotspot, while the iDrive interface has been further refined as well.

 

What’s it like to drive?

It’s still a bit weird, really. From the moment you hunt for the relocated on/off switch (can’t call it a “start button”, can you?) and figure out how to operate the forward/reverse mode selector to the right of the steering wheel, to the muted “thunk” as you close the rearward-opening rear doors, you’re never left unaware that the i3 is unlike any other car you’ve ever driven.

But, once you’ve got it moving, the only real differences between the i3 and a normal car are the lack of mechanical noise, and the need to adapt your driving style. Rethink what you thought you knew about using an accelerator pedal, for instance, because the really potent braking energy regeneration system harvests kinetic energy from the moving car the moment you lift off. This results in rather strong deceleration, and just about eliminates the need to use the brake pedal in most normal driving situations.

It’s plenty quick, though: because electric motors produce their peak torque from a standstill, the i3 really scoots off the line, and reaches our freeway speed limit quite rapidly. Of course, such foot-flat driving antics will destroy your driving range in no time, so it’s generally not advisable to tap too heartily into the i3’s generous reserves of thrust – not if you want to go very far without recharging, that is...

 

The i3 model range

As before, the i3 (and i3s) can be had as a pure BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle), or with a petrol-fueled range extender (REx). At the time of the i3's initial arrival, the REx was probably the better option, as it at least allowed for some mobility (albeit with vastly reduced performance) when the battery's charge ran out. 

However, now that the BEV has a greatly expanded driving range at its disposal, lugging around a heavy petrol engine for the odd occasion when you can’t find a charging point makes a lot less sense. Let’s be honest here: these cars aren’t made for long cross-country trips, and in its natural city-bound habitat, the all-electric variants will have more than enough capacity for normal commuting duties.

Pricing (before options):

BMW i3 120Ah:                R 658 500

BMW i3 120Ah REx:        R 740 700

BMW i3s 120Ah:              R 716 900

BMW i3s 120Ah REx:      R799 100

 

Charging infrastructure

As of May 2019, BMW has 58 ChargeNow charging stations in South Africa, with six being shared with Nissan as part of the companies' original (2015) Memorandum of Understanding. There are also five DC fast chargers at dealerships in most major metropoles, which gives an 80% charge in around 45 minutes. ChargeNow stations can be accessed using a ChargeNow card at no cost to owners or drivers. Additionally, owners can still install a wall-mounted charger at home or the office (and at extra cost), which cuts AC recharging time to around 3 hours, compared to using normal mains power to recharge. 

 

Its appearance may not have changed much over the years, but the underlying technology in the BMW i3 sure has improved by leaps and bounds. With its newly-extended electric driving range, the latest i3 makes a lot more sense than ever before, and may just alleviate enough range anxiety to encourage stronger sales in the future. Or maybe not: the i3 still caters for a rather specialised niche market, and given the long distances many South Africans travel, its mainstream appeal is still limited. But for the time being, it still acts as a charming reminder that our electric future may not be dreary and slow, after all.