The highly anticipated BMW i3 will be priced from €33,160 when it hits the Irish market in November 2013. BMW claims that the i3 will be one of its most important launches in the company's history.
Exterior
The i3 looks nothing like any BMW currently on sale. Aside from the company's signature kidney grille - which is completely blocked off - everything has changed. The blue hue surrounding the front grille is continued down the flanks and around the rear bumper. Its LED headlights have been moulded into a 'U'-shape; as have the rear lights, which are located in the i3's large rear window. The i3 also features angular designs throughout; noticeable on the front and rear bumpers, the window-line and on the fuel filler cap. Saying all that, the final production car has yet to be officially revealed.
Interior
The cabin is also a breath of fresh air for BMW, as the i3 does without the traditional centre console. The gear lever and starter button are mounted on the steering wheel and steering column, allowing for a full bench seat to reside up front. Underneath the large infotainment screen you'll find classic BMW switchgear; however the dashboard does have a basic, clean look to it. Built into the i3's infotainment system is BMW's ConnectedDrive Remote App. This allows the driver to access the i3's data and route information from anywhere; and also gives the option to download a route from an Android or iOS device to the car's satellite navigation remotely. Drivers can even tell it when to start and stop charging; and set a charging timer on it, too.
Mechanicals
The 170hp electric motor fitted to the i3 develops 250Nm of torque from standstill, giving a 0-100km/h time of eight seconds and a top speed of 150km/h. BMW's eDrive technology means that drivers can enjoy a realistic driving range of 160 kilometres, which can be extended to 200 kilometres when driving in Eco Pro+ mode, and 290 kilometres when fitted with the i3's optional 650cc, twin-cylinder petrol range extender. Effective heating and cooling systems prevent this range from fluctuating too much in varying weather conditions, too according to BMW.
Charging the i3 up to 80 per cent takes less than three hours when using the standard 7.4kW Fast Charger at home. A standard wall-socket will bring this time up to around nine hours, while a DC Fast Charger will give the i3 80 per cent of its battery charge in under an hour.
Anything else?
The headline €33,160 price takes into account €10,000 of grants, including the €5,000 SEAI Electric Vehicle Grant Scheme and €5,000 VRT relief. Prices for the range-extender model have yet to be announced.
Read our first drive of a pre-production version of the BMW i3 here.