BMW believes the new i3 shows the way ahead to a new era of mobility. It’s certainly recognised the world over of what manufacturers can do with electric vehicles. Which is why it has become the best-selling electric car in the premium compact segment.
The BMW i3 has now been further improved with new refreshing styling, cutting-edge equipment features and new digital services and the addition of a new model variant.
With a higher output, model-specific chassis technology, noticeably more dynamic driving qualities and design features all of its own, it generates a particularly intense blend of the unrivalled sporty driving pleasure associated with electric cars from the BMW Group. By offering a premium-quality, all-electric driving experience, meaning zero local emissions, together with a whole new level of connectivity technology, both models represent the future of urban mobility.
The BMW i3 has reigned as the top-selling premium electric car in its class since 2014, not just in Europe but worldwide too. And in Germany, it has actually been topping the new vehicle registration statistics for the electric car segment as a whole, also since 2014. It’s not just the visionary electric vehicles and inspirational design that help to make BMW i so popular, but also its innovative mobility solutions and the revolutionary new form of premium character, with sustainability as a key defining element. By offering such products while also adopting an all-embracing approach that takes into account the complete lifecycle – from raw material production, through the manufacture and operation of the vehicles to their later recycling – the BMW i brand has established itself as a pioneer for forward-thinking mobility.
BMW eDrive electric motor in two output levels, high-voltage battery with large capacity of 94 Ah/33 kWh, optional range extender engine.
The driving experience in the BMW i models has played no small part in the growing appeal and popularity of electric mobility. Following systematic refinement, the BMW eDrive technology aboard the new BMW i3 and new BMW i3s enables drivers to enjoy locally emission-free mobility with wonderfully instantaneous power delivery, efficient use of energy and an optimised range for a level of everyday practicality that even extends beyond the demands of purely urban travel. Both models draw their energy from the lithium-ion high-voltage battery developed by the BMW Group with a capacity of 94 ampere hours (Ah) or 33 kilowatt hours (kWh). A range extender engine can be ordered as an option for both the new BMW i3 and the new BMW i3s.
The new BMW i3 and new BMW i3s will celebrate their world premieres at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt/Main in September 2017. The global market launch will begin in November 2017.
Design: sporty look.
The new BMW i3 and new BMW i3s have a remarkably dynamic character by premium compact electric car standards, and a number of design tweaks have been included to express this to particularly striking effect in their visual appearance too. The unmistakable, avant-garde exterior styling has already picked up the iF gold award for product design and the World Car Design of the Year award along with other accolades, and it has now been enhanced by a number of deft design touches that clearly convey the sporty and stirring driving experience on offer.
The trademark BMW i Black Belt running from the bonnet over the roof to the car’s rear end is now complemented by A-pillars and roof lines that also sport a black finish. The range of paint finishes for the remaining body elements has been extended to include Melbourne Red metallic and Imperial Blue metallic. Besides these two new additions, customers can also choose from the non- metallic shades Capparis White and Fluid Black as well as Protonic Blue metallic and Mineral Grey metallic.
The restyling of the front and rear aprons places particular emphasis on the car’s width, which has the effect of signalling just how sporty both models are to drive and how sure their handling is. A chrome-design trim strip running across the full width of the rear and the positioning of the model and eDrive badges on the outer edges of the boot lid serves to reinforce this impression.
The new BMW i3 and new BMW i3s come equipped with all-LED headlights as standard, which employ LED bulb units for dipped beam and high beam as well as the daytime running lights. The new turn signal indicators also feature LED technology and are integrated into the front apron in the form of horizontal strips. This means that LEDs are now used for all lighting functions at the front of the vehicle too, as was already the case with the glass-covered rear light assemblies.
The new BMW i3: new styling accents for a sense of sporty elegance.
The thoughtful evolution of the exterior design not only helps to bring the sporting credentials of the new BMW i3 more to the fore, but highlights its sophisticated elegance too. The front bumper is completely painted in the body colour and has a black U-shaped surround that reinforces the car’s presence when viewed from the front. Moving round to the rear end, the powerfully moulded contours and the contrast in colour between the black surround and the body-coloured inlay again create an energetic and expressive appearance.
The new silver-coloured roof line accent for the new BMW i3 adds a further touch of elegance and dynamism. It widens towards the rear, thereby accentuating the stream flow, as the distinctive outline of the side windows is known.
The new BMW i3s: a thoroughly dynamic performer.
The new BMW i3s incorporates a number of design elements all of its own that underscore its particularly dynamic character. Both the front and rear aprons are notable for their model-specific, powerfully shaped contours. At the front, the bumper inlay as well as the U-shaped surround encircling it have a black finish. The front apron’s side sections are bordered on their lower edge by accent strips in BMW i Blue or Frozen Grey that further emphasise the width of the car. The accent in the closed BMW kidney grille is also painted in high-gloss black on the BMW i3s to give the grille a larger and more prominent appearance. The rear apron of the new BMW i3s is likewise composed of individually styled contours, while the black surround frames an extra-wide, body-coloured inlay. On the new BMW i3s, the roof line accent also sports the same high-gloss black finish as the A-pillars.
The new BMW i3s comes equipped as standard with sports suspension that includes a 10-millimetre drop in ride height. The additional 40 millimetres of track width compared to the BMW i3 is given added impact by the black wheel arch borders. The new BMW i3s is available with exclusive 20-inch light-alloy wheels in double-spoke design that are 20 millimetres wider than the previously available versions. They can be ordered in the Bicolour and Jet Black colour variants.
Interior: great sense of roominess, sustainable materials.
Like the exterior design, the interior styling of the new BMW i3 and new BMW i3s is rooted in the novel LifeDrive vehicle architecture. The carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) passenger cell has a wonderfully spacious feel about it and is dominated by a sense of lightness. The design principle of the two four-seater models means there is no need for either fixed B-pillars or a transmission tunnel. Doors that open in opposite directions allow the occupants to get in and out with the greatest of ease.
The Loft, Lodge and Suite equipment lines are available for the new BMW i3 and new BMW i3s as alternatives to the standard Atelier version. The Lodge interior design option includes a new covering for the seat surfaces in Solaric Brown that combines natural leather tanned using an olive leaf extract with a wool-based textile material. The fact that the BMW i3 and BMW i3s also count sustainability among their premium characteristics shines through in the rest of the materials selected for them too, including recycled plastics, renewable raw materials, natural fibres and open-pored, unbleached eucalyptus wood. Over 80 percent of the surfaces visible to the passengers are made from recycled materials or renewable resources. The new blue seat belt option provides a splash of colour in the interior in typical brand style. The BMW i3s supplements all this with special model lettering on the front floor mats as standard.
