The previous model of the BMW i3 was a great vehicle that was a harbinger because it connected the ICE world with the world of EVs. The German automaker has now launched a new i3 model. However, unlike the past vehicle, which had a standalone presence, this one will be based on the iconic BMW 3 Series.
It is to be kept in mind that the BMW 3 Series is a compact-sized vehicle that the company has been offering for several decades now.
The new model of the i3 will be both, a leap forward as well as a step back. But how? Let me explain.
How Is It A Leap Forward?
While the previous version of the i3 demonstrated how several automakers believed that EVs needed to have a distinct shape and design, the latest model of the i3 rejects this belief.
This is a huge step forward because it eliminates the fear that previously drove automakers to spend large sums of money designing an entirely new vehicle from scratch just because it was part of the electric platform.
How Is It A Major Setback?
The latest i3 takes the shape and form of the existing BMW 3 Series and returns to the basics in this way. This means that in the future, there will be no distinct EV models.
Customers of the BMW group wanted to have an electric vehicle having the shape and form of the 3 Series. So, in this way, the latest i3 is exactly what they had in mind.
This should now allow the company to get extremely high sales figures.
However, it is to be noted here that the new model of the BMW i3 has only been presently launched in China. We can’t comment about its availability in Europe for now or about its price.
Why Is The i3 Momentous For The Chinese Market?
The BMW 3 Series was the most selling premium compact segment vehicle in China during the last year. This shows that automaker believes that it has huge growth potential in this county.
BMW takes China and its market pretty seriously. We know this from the fact that the automaker recently increased the size of its vehicles’ front grilles to enormous sizes just because the Chinese market prefers it that way.
China is one of the leading economies in the world. With the mounting spending potential of Chinese people, more and more of them now want to get their hands on BMW vehicles.
The country is also making the shift from ICE to the EV segment and this is why the i3 has been presented just in time to meet the requirements of this market.
Range & Battery Of The BMW i3
According to BMW, the new i3 has a range of around 526 kilometers which is quite impressive for a vehicle of this size.
This is possible because of the 70.3 kWh battery pack out of which 66.1 kWh is usable.
Difference Between i3 & BMW 3 Series
The i3 will be different from the standard 3 Series in that it will have a slightly longer wheelbase (11 cm) than the standard vehicle. This will not be too noticeable but is still a difference.
Key Specifications Of BMW i3
Here are the key specifications of the new BMW i3:
- 0 to 100 kph: 6.2 seconds;
- Power: 210 kW;
- Torque: 400 Nm.
With just 10 minutes of DC fast charging, the vehicle will get a range increase of around 97 km.
Final Verdict
The new BMW i3 is available in the Chinese market for now. However, it will soon be presented to other parts of the world as well.
The vehicle seems promising for now but only time will tell how it performs.
Hej
Jag intresserar detta bil . Mvh Jaafar