I want to like the BMW i3. I really do.
But this little pumpkin just doesn’t light my jack-0-lantern. It is so unbelievably fugly that it makes the Prius look sexy.
Hell, the i3 makes the Prius V look sexy.
Here are all the stats and 199 photos of the violently repugnant 2015 BMW i3.
If this car is anywhere near as successful as BMW hopes it will be, I will eat a rotten pumpkin whole. There is just no way people will pay $50,000 to drive this hideous turd.
Yes, the dashboard is nice.
But that is the only praise I can offer.
And, it seems to look decent in the pitch-black of nighttime. Not good.
Perhaps time behind the wheel would enlighten me. But I remain deeply skeptical of this roofline on any car. Especially a BMW.
2014 BMW i3 Is Ugliest Car Since The Isetta – Makes Prius V Look Sexy
BMW i3 Quick-Reference Highlights.
Pricing (before federal or local incentives) starts at $41,350; $45,200 for Range Extender model. Destination & Handling Fee not included.
On Sale: Q2 of 2014 in the USA.
Preliminary Dimensions (subject to change for US models):
- o Length: 157.4”
- o Width: 69.9”
- o Height: 62.1”
- o Wheelbase: 101.2”
- o Turning Circle: 32.4 feet
- o Curb Weight (DIN) 2,635 lbs. (2,899 lbs. for i3 with Range Extender)
BMW’s 360 Electric electro mobility services:BMW Navigation is standard.
- Home Charging
- Public Charging
- Assistance Services
- Flexible Mobility.
Driving.
170-hp, 184 lb-ft hybrid-synchronous electric motor with max. revs of 11,400 rpm.
80-100 mile real-world EV range.
22-kWh lithium-ion battery, which weighs 450 lbs.
650cc gasoline powered Range Extender optional; holds charge, doesn’t power wheels.
0-30mph in 3.5 seconds, 0-60mph in approximately 7.2 seconds (preliminary).
Top speed of 93 mph, electronically limited to preserve efficiency.
BMW’s signature, near-perfect 50-50 weight distribution.
Ultra-tight turning radius (32.3 ft), which is ideal for city driving.
Macpherson strut front and 5-link rear suspension set up.
Single Pedal Driving Concept with Brake Energy Regeneration, which feeds power back into battery.
3 drive modes: Comfort, ECO PRO and ECO PRO+.
3 hour 220 V @32 amps charging time.
Optional SAE DC Combo Fast Charging allows for 80% charge in 20mins; 100% in 30 mins.
Chassis and Body.
Purpose built construction. World’s first mass-produced CFRP-constructed electric vehicle.
Built on innovative LifeDrive architecture composed of two parts: Life Module and Drive Module.
Life Module is essentially the cabin, constructed from Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP).
Drive Module is where all of the powertrain components are housed.
Drive Module is made from 100% aluminum.
Magnesium cross-member for instrument panel saves 20% weight vs. steel.
BMW 1 Series external footprint with BMW 3 Series interior space.
LED headlights and taillights (standard in US market).
Weighs in at roughly 2,700 lbs.
No space-consuming transmission tunnel dividing car’s interior.
Pillar-less design with rear coach doors allow for easy entry and exit to rear seats.
Driver-oriented super-ergonomic controls.
Three vehicle Worlds (trim levels): Mega (standard in US), Giga, and Tera.
Standard 19-inch light alloy wheels with unique 155/70 all-season tires. 20-inch light alloy wheels optional.
No transmission tunnel and low console allows for Slide-through Experience, which benefits urban driving by the ability to exit from the passenger side.
Sustainability.
Made with sustainable, renewable materials.Dashboard wood trim crafted from responsibly-forested eucalyptus.
- Instrument panel surround and door trim use fibers from Kenaf plant.
- Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) roof panel is made partially with recycled CFRP from manufacturing process of other components
- 25% of plastic used in interior comprised of recycled materials.
CFRP components are sustainably produced in Moses Lake, WA, USA, where the factory uses hydroelectric power.
The Leipzig, Germany assembly plant uses wind-generated electricity.
Olive-leaf extract is used to tan interior leather surfaces.
Features & Specs
Body
No of doors / seats
4
Length
157 in
Width
70 in
Height (* with roof fin)
62(*63) in
Wheelbase
101 in
Turning circle
32.3 ft
Front – rear overhang
27.8 – 28.4 in
Ground clearance
5.51 in
Luggage compartment volume
2.8 –11.8 ft
Tank capacity
1.9 gal
Weight, unladen, according to DIN/EU
2899/3064
Max permissible weight / load
3814 / 915 lbs
Air resistance (Cd/A/Cd x A)
0.30 / 2.38 / 0.71
Drive system
Type of electric motor
BMW eDrive technology:
Hybrid synchronous motor with integrated power electronics, charger and generator mode for recuperation
Hybrid synchronous motor with integrated power electronics, charger and generator mode for recuperation
Output
125 / 170 kW/hp
Torque
250 / 184 Nlb-ft
Recuperation
up to 50 kW
High-voltage battery
Rated voltage
360V
Energy capacity (gross/net)
22/18./ kWh
Storage technology
Lithium-ion
Combustion engine
Torque
55 / 40
Config / No of cyls / Valves per cyl
in-line / 2 / 4
Capacity
647 cm(3)
Stroke / bore
66 (2.6) / 79 (3.1) in
Output / at rpm
25 / 34 / 4300
Torque / at rpm
55 / 40 / 4300
Driving dynamics
Drive concept
Rear-wheel drive
Front suspension
Aluminium single-joint MacPherson spring strut with anti-dive
Rear suspension
Five-link axle directly mounted to the Drive module
Tires front / rear
155/70 R19 / 175/65 R19
Rims front / rear
5J x 19 light-alloy / 5.5J X 19 light-alloy
Transmission
Type of transmission
Automatic, single speed with fixed ratio
Performance
Power-to-weight ratio (DIN)
10.5
0–60 mph
7.9
0–35 mph
3.9
50–75 mph
5.5
Top speed
93 mph
Range in everyday driving
Comfort mode
160-180 mls
Eco Pro
+12%
Eco Pro +
+24%
Charging Times
80% in < 20 min at 50 kW DC fast charge
100% in ~ 3 h with Level 2 rated 240v @ 32 amps (J1772)
100% in ~ 3 h with Level 2 rated 240v @ 32 amps (J1772)
Tom Burkart is the founder and managing editor of Car-Revs-Daily.com, an innovative and rapidly-expanding automotive news magazine.
He holds a Journalism JBA degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Tom currently resides in Charleston, South Carolina with his two amazing dogs, Drake and Tank.
Mr. Burkart is available for all questions and concerns by email Tom(at)car-revs-daily.com.
You May Also Like:
MANSORY Renovatio Makes Even The Tired SLR Sexy Again December 21, 2014, 6 pm If you had told me a year ago that I would like any Mercedes SLR McLaren, I would have spit out my drink in shock. The same goes for Mansory, if I am being honest. But we're indeed quite fond of Mansory's work these days, and even admire their SLR Renovatio. MANSORY Renovatio - 2014 Volkswagen XL Sport Concept Makes One Seriously Sexy BMW i8 Competitor October 3, 2014, 2 pm Here is an interesting machine! The eco-friendly supercar segment established by the BMW i8 could find a competitor in the VW XL Sport concept, which takes all the ideas and tech from the XL1 high-mileage, low-volume special and sends it to the racetrack. Much wider, lower, leaner and meaner: the XL Sport is still wholly unconventional in its style and presence. This makes it not unlike the i8 in many ways. They both certainly have stopping power: heads will turn to catch this wild machine zing past. But the carbon-ceramix brakes of the the XL Sport will surely provide…
- 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport DYNAMIC Makes Sexy Debut in Frankfurt September 19, 2015, 5 pm The Land Rover Discover Sport is not on US roads yet, but there is already a very sexy special edition for European shoppers: the new Dynamic package. An exterior sportification via body-color bumpers, body kit and special details... the makeover is very convincing -- and helps the new Disco Sport share some of the curb appeal of its sexier RRS and Evoque siblings. The Disco Sport already wears a great deal of gloss black for its trims and grilles, but this Dynamic upgrade takes the lower bodywork to the same standard. Everywhere there was previously grey plastic, now there…
- RM NYC 2015 – 1963 Pontiac Bonneville ‘Roy Rogers’ Nudie Mobile November 22, 2015, 2 pm This outrageous Bonneville is the real deal: an authentic piece of memorabilia from the original Hollywood merchandising phenom: Roy Rogers. The iconic cowboy led a global trend spanning most of the 1950s and 1960s, when parents sought to avoid glamorizing WWII via the previously-ubiquitous soldier toys. The Bonneville here is shocking outside, yes, with guns replacing the door handles and an extra train-load of chrome all around its white bodywork. Giant steer horns lead the charge in front, of course. But if the outside is striking, the cabin will make you faint. The custom leatherwork makes the entire…
- Mecum Kissimmee 2015 Preview – Pontiac Firebird from The Rockford Files December 16, 2014, 9 pm Jim Rockford's hero car from The Rockford Files!? Yessir. These three Firebirds are about as nice as it gets - truly stunning. James Garner was the ultimate 1970s detective, in a broadcast schedule lousy with imitators that could never compare with his steely delivery and shrewd crime-solving skills. This Firebird Formula was painted gold to match the first Firebird Espirit from the series' early seasons, and was Rockford's main ride for the 1978-1980 seasons of the show. Garner disliked the 1979 restyle of the Firebird, so this kid stayed in the picture. Pontiac Firebird from The Rockford Files…
- Mecum Kissimmee 2015 Preview – Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Y88 SE Gold Edition December 16, 2014, 9 pm Do you like classic musclecars? Then you are in luck this week - we are featuring a dozen of the finest available from the Mecum Florida auctions in January 2015. This Y88 Gold Special Edition was a one-year release and includes all the great three-letter model codes of the era: W72 6.6-liter V8, Y88 trim and WS6 Performance Pack. The gold leaf paint and glass T-Tops are a special accent, while the 16,000 original miles make this one barely broken in - 35 years later. Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Y88 SE Gold Edition Lot R204// Kissimmee 2015…
- Mecum Kissimmee 2015 Preview – 1978 Pontiac Trans Am – Owned by Burt Reynolds December 16, 2014, 8 pm Do you like classic musclecars? Then you are in luck this week - we are featuring a dozen of the finest available from the Mecum Florida auctions in January 2015. Do you also like Mustaches and wild burnouts? If so, you are doubly fortunate with this Trans Am. This Firebird is none other than Burt Reynold's personal Pontiac Trans Am. Not a movie car -- his actual daily driver for a few years. The Starlight Black* paint glows just as deeply today as it ever did, and the design of this Firebird is aging very gracefully. The C/B radio…
- Refreshed 2015 Toyota Prius V Pricing, Release Date and Upgrades Detailed November 26, 2014, 10 am Are we noticing a theme in 2015 updates? This is the year of revised infotainment, enhanced ride comfort/quietness, and new LED lighting everywhere you look. All the cool cars are getting these tweaks to their existing packages, and the 2015 Prius V 5 trim goes one further with LED low and high-beams along with a dapper LED DRL line across the top of the new lamp design. It is fresh and clean, with tweaks in the grille designs and bumpers rounding out the changes to the style outside. Pricing is very similar to the 2014, with base price of…
- 2015 Honda Civic Type R Concept Two Makes Paris Debut October 4, 2014, 9 pm UPDATED 10.4.14 Production concept is more sexy than WTCC car? Oh yes. 2015 Honda Civic Type R Concept Two Paris Debut PREVIOUS 276 horsepower is now the floor for Honda Type R models - this latest 2.0-liter turbocharged engine shows that Honda is diving in head-first into the world of turbochargers. Which definitely makes sense - Honda is, after all, supplying the McLaren Formula One team with its engines for 2015 and beyond. So you can be sure that the engine lab is glowing red-hot with huge boost! So what will change between now and…
- 2015 Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 SuperVeloce Makes USA Debut in Amelia Island March 14, 2015, 10 pm An Atlantic Oceanside debut on a sunny Spring evening - what could be more fitting for the most rabid, rapid bull ever freed from the Lambo stable? Yes. This is it the new 750-horsepower, naturally-aspirated legend. With a new nose and almost all-new tail with vents, scoops and wing like a pure race-car, the new SuperVeloce takes this legendary badge into proud new territory. The new Aventador SV is available to order now. Enjoy these 50 fresh pics from the Lambo reveal, plus the SuperVeloce's tech specs toward the foot of the page. http://www.lamborghini.com/en/home/ 2015 Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4…
- RM Amelia Island 2015 – 1958 Pontiac Bonneville Sport Coupe Is Rocket-Brick Icon March 24, 2015, 8 pm For someone who loves cars as much as I do, meeting a rare and special machine can have unintended consequences. No one would blink if you were so emotionally affected by an opera or fresco, but to be weak-kneed by a car? A Pontiac from the 1950s? Like most art, the effect on the viewer is one of the many mysteries of the world. Reviewing this Bonneville Sport Coupe today is quite an emotional affair. Pontiac was trying desperately to spring-board their brand from obscurity into the greats of automobiledom. They needed a flagship -- something to draw…
- 2015 Toyota Prius C Is Fresh With New Cabin Tech + Revised Nose/Tail LED Lighting November 20, 2014, 8 pm Officially one of the most LED-intensive compact vehicles on the market for 2015, the new Prius C is becoming quite a looker in its own light. The big news is all about the bright new design themes in front and inside with a huge new Entune touchpanel inside. Wild colors are part of the section for 2015 for this ultra-economical Prius hatchback. But the biggest news perhaps? The C in Prius C now officially stands for City versus Compact. 2015 Toyota Prius C 2015 Toyota Prius c: Light, Tight, Bright and the Highest City Fuel Economy of Any Vehicle…
