In REx form, choosing the i3s has no bearing on this green machine’s claim to fame. According to the EPA, it has a 97-mile driving range on the battery pack and an additional 83 miles with a fill of around a 2.3-gallon jerry can. Only when the battery is almost empty does the two-cylinder engine start and draw from that scant supply. The engine merely serves as an onboard generator because there is no mechanical link between it and the drive wheels. The i3s EV, in comparison, has ratings of 107 miles of range and a combined 112 MPGe, compared to the 112 miles and 118 MPGe of the basic i3 EV.
The real-world highway range of electric vehicles, especially the compact city car group, tends to fall short of published projections, although the i3 is an exception. The i3s REx achieved 82 MPGe over 78 miles on our highway fuel-economy test at 75 mph before the generator started to operate at 24 mpg. In a less scientific test, one of the editors managed to get more than 100 miles out of the battery by slowing down a little on the interstate before the range extender engaged. After that, we drove 108 miles in city and suburban driving while alternating between the Comfort and Sport modes, and the range meter indicated that there was still 21 miles of charge left. The driver was unable to see how far below “E” he could travel due to range anxiety. In any case, comparing the two distinct “tests” shows that operating an i3 in a city is much more efficient than doing it on the highway. The i3s EV is even more at home in urban areas because it has a supplementary power source to extend its range constraints, but it still managed to get a respectable 89 MPGe on our highway fuel-efficiency test.
LOWS: Disturbing exterior, occasionally boomy range extender, and the existence of range anxiety.
The options aren’t as brilliant in the REx version once you’ve zapped through a full charge of electrons. The range extender starts spinning when the battery charge drops to about 6.5 percent of its maximum capacity. It starts out gently and barely makes a sound, but if you’re driving up a steep grade or in the passing lane, it can become quite boomy as it struggles to supply the system with enough energy. You have a new type of range anxiety here, necessitating a gas stop at least once an hour, as the extender’s independent range display persistently indicates you can expect only approximately 70 miles from a full tank. In either i3s, you can recoup an 80 percent charge in about 30 minutes if you happen to come across a CCS-format DC fast charger. However, as we discovered on a drive in the REx along I-5 from Portland to Seattle, they’re not quite spaced right to maintain full electric mode without some next-level (read: time-wasting hypermiling) dedication.
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cruising altitude
The EPA estimates that the basic i3 can travel up to 114 miles between charges of its battery pack when driven lightly. The i3s’ larger tires trade rolling resistance for traction, reducing the predicted range for cruising to just 107 miles.
The 94-Ah (33-kWh) lithium-ion battery pack recharges in roughly 5 hours at a 220-volt Level 2 charging station, which is the same for the i3 and i3s. In an emergency, you could charge from any 110-volt power outlet using the provided trickle wire, but it would take around 20 hours.
However, a 50-kW DC charging station is the quickest option, allowing an 80 percent quick-charge in only 45–50 minutes.
My i3s has the available gasoline range extender. When the battery runs out, this two-cylinder gasoline generator starts up, extending the range by around 70 miles and increasing the maximum cruising range to roughly 180 miles.
The range extender, which is essentially a small, loud, portable generator with a 2.3-gallon tank and is in no way physically attached to the powertrain, barely generates enough power to keep the i3 moving. When you push towards the i3s’ extended range, the power decreases noticeably. You’ll be running to the closest DC charger as soon as possible.
For the majority of prospective i3 purchasers, the range extender is probably unnecessary due to proper trip planning, common DC fast charging, and the performance envelope designed for urban environments. Saving money would allow me to forego this $3,850 “improvement.”
While the 2018 BMW i3’s 114-mile range does not make it the range leader among electric vehicles, it does have agile handling, efficient packaging, and a premium interior.
Although the BMW i3 is a technological marvel, EVs with greater range have already surpassed it.
A strange animal is the BMW i3. It is BMW’s most ecologically conscious vehicle to date, with an electric motor and a construction that heavily utilizes carbon fiber. Because it offers an engine as an optional range extender, it’s especially unusual among electric cars in terms of design. It is available in the i3 and the new i3s models and offers the “Worlds” of Deka, Mega, Giga, and Tera in place of trim levels.
Although we appreciate the i3’s own personality, driving dynamics, acceleration, and efficiency, it does come with certain trade-offs. It costs a lot, has a much smaller range than modern competitors, and has poor handling due to its narrow tires. We rate it 6.6 out of 10 on our scale since it has aged quickly since its 2014 release. (Learn more about our rating system for automobiles.)
The i3’s design is the polar opposite of the BMW nameplate. Although unattractive, it has a towering, erect posture that makes it stand out. The strange window line that dips into the body line and the pushed-to-the-corners positioning of the wheels give the vehicle a distinctive appearance. From the front or the back, tall, slender tires give off an odd appearance.
Inside, the design is more understated yet elegant. It uses recycled materials wisely and has a Scandinavian touch. It also feels light and open.
The i3’s 33-kwh battery provides 114 miles of range, and a 2-cylinder range-extending (REx) 650cc engine increases the total range to 180 miles, however the electric range is reduced to 97 miles due to the engine’s additional weight. Although the engine has a 2.4-gallon gasoline tank and can generate 38 horsepower and 41 lb-ft of torque, it only powers a generator.
Modern EVs offer a much greater range. Ranges for the Tesla Model S can reach 310 miles, the Chevrolet Bolt EV can go 238 miles, and the Nissan Leaf can go 151 miles.
The i3’s electric engine produces 184 pound-feet of torque and 170 horsepower. It gains 184 horsepower and 199 lb-ft in the new i3s variant. The i3s also sports sportier styling, a suspension that has been adjusted for performance, and a 0.4-inch lower ride height.
The motor provides rapid and consistent power that propels the i3s and i3 from 0 to 60 mph in 6.8 and 7.2 seconds, respectively. These times increase by over a second when the REx and its additional weight are included.
Due to strong brake energy regeneration, BMW offers multiple drive modes, including Eco Pro and Eco Pro+, which both allow for one-pedal operation.
The i3 is one of the market’s most energy-efficient vehicles, according to the EPA, with ratings of up to 129 MPGe city, 99 MPGe highway, and 118 MPGe combined (The Mile Per Gallon Equivalent unit, or MPGe, measures the distance a vehicle can cover on electricity on the same amount of energy contained in one gallon of gasoline.) BMW sells a powerful 7.4 kilowatt home charging station that charges the i3 in 4.5 hours.
Although the i3 has a respectable selection of safety measures, most of them are optional. While the i3 hasn’t been put through NHTSA testing, it has done reasonably well in IIHS crash tests.
BMW uses distinctive wheel designs, upholstery options, and interior colors to distinguish the Deka, Mega, Giga, and Tera Worlds from one another stylistically. Heated front seats, satellite radio, real-time traffic navigation, a rearview camera, automated climate control, keyless entry, and DC fast-charging are all included as standard equipment.
Range and efficiency are reduced for the sportier electric car type, the BMW i3s.
German automakers, in particular, frequently spruce up the appeal of an aged car with newer, sportier variants as a generation of any vehicle ages.
Porsche is an expert at releasing fresh iterations of its cars over the course of a whole generation, but BMW has also mastered the technique.
Thus, the 2018 BMW i3s, a more potent variation of the battery-electric hatchback, is the fifth model year for the BMW i3.
There were three for 2017: two battery-powered variants with capacities of 22 and 33 kilowatt hours, and one with a two-cylinder engine that could expand its range.
The last variant, known as the BMW i3 REx, added an extra 83 miles on gasoline for a total of 180 miles. Those models had EPA-rated battery ranges of 81, 114, and 97 miles.
The 2018 EPA ratings for the i3 series have not yet been released, but we now know them for the new BMW i3s sport variant.
In spite of the fact that it has a larger 33-kwh battery, it turns out that both its energy efficiency and range have decreased, from 118 to 112 MPGe and 114 to 107 miles, respectively.
The term “miles per gallon equivalent,” or MPGe, describes how many miles an automobile can go on one gallon of gasoline’s worth of energy.
He recently received a brand-new black i3s, one of the first to be given in the nation.
He also received the first i3 REx to be sold in the United States in 2014, and he provided us with coverage of that vehicle’s three-year ownership just before it was totaled in an accident. Tom is OK.
The new BMW i3s model has a reworked suspension and an additional drive-mode choice called Sport while maintaining the same 33-kwh battery pack as the i3 range from the previous year.
All 2018 BMW i3 models now come standard with full LED headlights in addition to some minor design tweaks.
This year saw the release of an upgraded iDrive interface, Version 6.0, as well as a few additional paint and interior trim options.
The 2018 BMW i3s can be distinguished from the regular model by its more aggressive front and rear bumpers, as well as its lower ride height and wider track (by 10 and 40 millimeters, respectively).
However, power is the major focus of sport models. In comparison to the ordinary model’s 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, the i3s’ rear-mounted electric motor is rated at 184 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque.
According to BMW, the i3s has a top speed of 100 mph as opposed to the conventional 93 mph and accelerates to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds, which is 0.4 seconds faster than the standard vehicle.
BMW said that had improved the motor control software to increase the top-end performance, citing a 40 percent increase in power at the motor’s highest speed.
The Sport driving mode improves the steering and throttle performance in addition to the usual Comfort, Eco Pro, and Eco Pro+ driving modes.
The seat belts in the optional BMW I Blue color, which were initially used in the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sport coupe, are one i3s option that we really appreciate.
A lithium-ion battery back powers the electric motor of the 2018 BMW i3 car.
Review of the BMW i3 from a professional
What it is: The BMW i3 is a four-seater, rear-wheel-drive, purpose-built electric vehicle. The i3’s electric drivetrain offers it an EPA-estimated range of up to 114 miles, and it is made of lightweight aluminum and carbon-fiber reinforced plastic to reduce weight. The Nissan Leaf, Fiat 500e, Volkswagen e-Golf, and Chevrolet Bolt EV are rivals.
BMW provides a two-cylinder gas engine as an option for the i3 to help alleviate the range anxiety related to electric vehicles. Instead of powering the wheels, the engine charges the lithium-ion battery to increase the vehicle’s range.
With new technology, updated appearance, and a new performance-oriented i3s model with a higher-output electric motor, sport suspension, and other modifications, BMW has refreshed the distinctive-looking hatchback.