With its space-age body, super-efficient powertrain, and laser focus on its urban mission, the i3 pushes the boundaries in automotive design. This tall, narrow, electric city car not only looks like a futuristic personal transportation pod that just drove off the set of the latest "Tron" movie, it's the first widely available car to use lightweight carbon fiber for its basic body structure. That single mission focus contributes to makeing the i3 the most energy-efficient car we've ever tested.
The i3 has a typical 75-mile range before the charge runs out. The 94Ah version comes with a larger battery (33 kWh) and extents that range to a claimed 114 miles. Unfortunately, U.S. customers won't be able to retrofit the new battery, at least for now. 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. Think of it as a set of training wheels for electric-car newbies. Most i3 buyers are opting for this $4,000 option.
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. The improved 94Ah version gets an enlarged tank of 2.4 gallons that's likely to add about 20 more miles. Cross-country journeys are possible as long as you don't mind filling up once an hour. Moreover, the i3's gas consumption is no better than low 30s mpg, undermining the car's effciency in electric mode.
Despite its tall and narrow stance, the i3 feels confident and planted on the highway, not strained and exhausted like other city-focused cars, with a firm ride that tends to be a bit stiff at low urban speeds.
In the corners, the car's bantam weight and low center of gravity makes it one of the most tossable, responsive cars we've driven in quite a while and it 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 an inherent 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; the 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've 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, and it sounds oddly disconnected from your accelerator inputs. But on the highway, you can hardly hear it at all.
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, and you can often come to a complete stop without ever 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 pages of the Design Within Reach catalog. Like other BMWs, mastering the iDrive infotainment system and the unintuitive rotary shifter requires a learning curve. That shifter lacks some desired safeguards to prevent rollaway, should the driver fail to select Park.
No matter how you outfit it, the future doesn't come cheap. The i3 starts at $42,850, or $45,200 with the range-extending REx engine. Thankfully, all i3s qualify for a $7,500 federal tax credit.
BMW is also working on a Flexible Mobility program to provide shared access to 3 Series cars and X3 SUVs for city-dwelling i3 owners who occasionally need a more spacious vehicle with a longer range.
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.