UK Drive: BMW’s i3 is here to change the electric car game
The 3 Series has always been a popular option in the UK, so can an electric version still deliver? Jack Evans finds out.
What is it?
How do you go about translating that to the world of electric cars, though? Well, BMW thinks it has it licked with this – the i3 – which hits the road with a whole lot to offer. That’s the on-paper thought, anyway, and we’ve been driving it on home turf to see if it’s the same story in the real world.
What’s new?
As a result, this saloon car has got all of the brand’s latest equipment, and a clever ‘Heart of Joy’ software system which aims to deliver the same driving experience that you’d get from a ‘traditional\ BMW, but in this battery-powered version.
What’s under the bonnet?
In fact, certain specifications of the i3 50 can return a claimed range of up to 566 miles, which really does relegate range anxiety to the history books. A maximum charge speed of 400kW means that it can be topped up from 10 to 80 per cent in around 20 minutes, too, though currently these ultra-rapid chargers are few and far between in the UK. That said, 350kW units are more common and even here you should get that same charge capacity in well under 30 minutes.
What’s it like to drive?
The only real negatives relate to the seats and the wheel. The driver’s chair feels like it’s been mounted too high and, if you’re taller, you might find your knees too close to the wheel. Then, there’s the steering wheel itself, which features a symmetrical design that can easily confuse you, particularly when parking.
How does it look?
The popular M Sport trim equipped to our test car comes with larger wheels and a sportier look overall, but we’d say it’s been successful regardless of which specification you go for.
What’s it like inside?
Rear-seat space is about right for a car of this size, too, and at 420 litres boot space is good too. Then there’s a 31-litre frunk where you can keep the charging cables, making it quite a practical model overall. Need more space? We have it on good authority that a more practical Touring estate will be joining the i3 ranks soon.
What’s the spec like?
The 50, meanwhile, starts at £54,925, making it a good chunk more money than the ‘40’, but then you get that headline range of 566 miles. All cars get a large infotainment system and BMW’s new Panoramic Vision display, which wraps underneath the main windscreen to provide all information clearly and in just the right place. A few more physical buttons wouldn’t go amiss, but at least there’s a proper rocker switch for the audio volume.
Verdict
The i3 feels like a true standalone 3 Series model. It isn’t compromised by its powertrain and feels just as capable and intuitive as previous generations of the combustion-engined version. With that headline range, it really can go as far as most people would want to during one trip, too.
While we imagine that most people would rather the cheaper 40 and accept the small trade-off in range, this new 50 car really shows the i3 at its very best.