With its space-age body, super-efficient powertrain and laserlike focus on its urban mission, the i3 pushes the boundaries in automotive design. This tall, narrow, electric city car is the first widely available model to use lightweight carbon fiber for its basic body structure. That single mission focus contributes to making the i3 the most energy-efficient car we'd ever tested up to that point.
Like most EVs, the i3 has a 75-mile range before the charge runs out. We bought our i3 with the optional two-cylinder gasoline range extender (REx). Think of it as an onboard home generator that continues to provide electricity when battery power depletes. It's designed to reduce range anxiety, but as we found in our testing, it's not really supposed to be used as the primary power source.
BMW makes it clear that the i3's range extender isn't meant for continual use by giving it a miniscule 1.9-gallon gas tank. We averaged a mere 50 additinal miles in that mode. Cross-country journeys are possible, as long as you don't mind filling up once an hour. Moreover, the i3's gas consumption averages in the low 30s, undermining the car's effciency in electric mode.
Despite its tall and narrow stance, the i3 feels confident and planted on the highway, rather than strained and exhausted like other city-focused cars. Its firm ride tends to be a bit stiff at low urban speeds.
In the corners, the bantam weight and low center of gravity make it one of the most tossable and responsive cars we'd driven in quite a while. The i3 remains secure, even when pushed to its limits on our track.
Room for four passengers and reasonable cargo space beneath its hatchback makes the i3 a livable car. The rear-hinged back doors bring a limitation though. If you have kids sitting back there, the driver or front passenger will have to unbuckle their seatbelt and open their door first, before opening the back door. Kids can't do it themselves.
Combining the super-efficient powertrain with lightweight construction creates an extremely energy-efficient car that gets the equivalent of 139 mpg when running on electricity -- the highest we'd ever seen in our testing. Recharging the 22-kWh lithium-ion battery takes about four hours on a dedicated 240-volt electric car charger (aka Level 2). You can also charge it in about 17 hours on a standard 120-volt household outlet.
Engine noise is noticeable at low speeds, though it sounds oddly disconnected from your accelerator inputs. You can hardly hear it at all on the highway.
Even those used to driving an electric car may be taken aback by the i3's particularly aggressive regenerative braking. It slows the car down hard as soon as you let off the accelerator. You can often come to a complete stop without touching the brake pedal.
The i3 even challenges convention in the cabin. It feels more like a four-seat Scandinavian style living room. Flowing matte wood trim, textured resin panels and a mix of tweed and leather upholstery all look like they came straight from the Design Within Reach catalog.
Given its price, Playmobil-like styling, and short, effective cruising range, it's natural to be skeptical about the i3. But the car has a certain gawky charm, with impressive road manners. For those with money to invest in the green-car cause, the i3 seems like a perfect urban runabout.