With a 22 kWh (18.8 kWh useable) battery, the BMW i3 has an electric car range of 80 to 100 miles. By adjusting the accelerator pedal response, the ECO PRO mode can extend the range by 12%, and the ECO PRO+ mode can extend the range by up to 24% by lowering the top speed to 55 mph and switching the heating and cooling systems to their most energy-saving settings. Its 170 horsepower electric motor and 184 lb-ft of torque enable it to reach 60 mph in 7.2 seconds, go from 50 to 75 mph in 4.9 seconds, and reach a top speed of 93 mph despite weighing only 2799 pounds.
Small 2 cylinder, 0.647 liter (39.5 cubic inch), inline 4-valve per cylinder gasoline engine, the Range Extender generates 34 horsepower and 40 lb-ft of torque at 4300 revolutions per minute. The wheels are not connected to the gasoline engine, which is just used to recharge the batteries. You can go between 160 and 180 miles with the Range Extender. ECO PRO and ECO PRO+ both extend the range by 12% and 24%, respectively, similar to the all-electric model.
The weight of a BMW i3 fitted with a range extender is increased by 265 lbs, bringing the total weight of the vehicle to 3064 lbs. Although the highest speed stays the same, the additional weight somewhat reduces performance. (0.7 seconds slower than the all-electric version) The sprint from 0 to 60 mph takes 7.9 seconds, and the sprint from 50 to 75 mph takes 5.5 seconds.
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BMW i3
W20K06U0 25 kW I2range extender, 647 cc Europe 9 L (2.4 US gal) In the US, 7.2 L (1.9 US gal). In the US, 9 L (2.4 US gal) (2017+)
The BMW i3 is a BMW-made, high-roof, B-segment hatchback with an electric drivetrain that utilizes rear-wheel drive, a single-speed transmission, an underfloor lithium-ion battery pack, and an optional gasoline engine that can expand the vehicle’s range. The BMW i3 was the company’s first mass-produced zero-emission vehicle and was introduced under the BMW I sub-brand for electric vehicles.
The Richard Kim-designed i3 comes with a single five-door configuration, a CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced polymer) passenger module that is extremely lightweight and strong, and a lower aluminum module that houses the chassis, battery, drive system, and motor. Two smaller clamshell rear doors with rear hinges are included on the bodywork. The i3 had its concept premiere at the 2011 International Motor Show Germany, and Leipzig manufacturing of the vehicle started in September 2013.
From 2014 to 2016, it was the third-best-selling electric vehicle in the world; by the end of 2021, it had sold over 220,000 units globally. With over 47,500 units supplied until December 2021, Germany is listed as its top-selling market, followed by the United States with more over 45,000.
The 2014 World Green Car of the Year and 2014 World Car Design of the Year were both given to the i3, earning it two World Car of the Year Awards. The i3 won the first UK Car of the Year Awards for Best Supermini of 2014 and UK Car of the Year 2014, each of which came with an iF Product Design Gold Award.
Ask Us Anything: Can the BMW i3 be fuel-powered?
The operation of the range extender in the BMW i3 is one of the most frequently asked questions. Some readers have inquired as to whether the BMW i3 REx uses gas when the battery is running low. Please give us a moment to explain the Range Extender mechanism before we respond to your query properly. There have been concerns since since BMW’s Financial Officer Frederick Eichinerto indicated in early February 2011 that the i3 would have an optional gasoline powerplant to increase the vehicle’s range.
There is no other REx like the one on the i3 that is currently being offered. No other automaker has ever offered a range extender as an optional feature on an electric vehicle, giving customers the freedom to select the model that best meets their individual driving requirements (BEV or extended range PHEV). BMW made the vehicle’s range extender as compact, effective, and light as they could.
According to BMW, the range extender is an APU (auxiliary power unit), and its main purpose is to increase the vehicle’s range so that the driver may go safely home or to the next charging station without being concerned about being stranded due to a low battery. A 0.6-liter engine from the BMW C600 scooter and a 2.4-gallon gasoline tank are added to the REx in the BMW i3 to supplement its battery pack. Compared to the engine of the same displacement in the BMW scooter, the 647cc engine installed in the i3 REx is tuned differently. The REx engine, which is mounted between the rear wheels, produces 38 horsepower and 41 lb-ft (55 Nm) of torque at 4,300 RPM.
In order for the i3 REx to be eligible for incentives, the fuel tank was limited to 1.9 gallons in the US. Depending on the driving mode, the Range Extender might increase the range by 40 to 80 miles. Due to the newer models’ larger batteries, the European i3s discontinued the REx option in 2018, although the US-bound electric BMWs kept it. The Range Extender adds 265 lbs to the overall weight of BMW i3 vehicles.
Finding a gasoline filler door on the passenger front fender is the quickest way to identify an i3 REx. The pure electric range and the gasoline range are displayed on the instrument panel of the i3 when the driver is seated. If you pay close attention, you can see the Vehicle Emission Control Information on the DOT tag on the rear hatch, which lists gasoline on the i3 REx and indicates the presence of the OBD: II rather than an OBD: N/A – not applicable next to the i3 BEV version.
How to activate the range extender for the BMW i3
So why wouldn’t you use the range extender constantly if it can help you travel farther? Aside from the obvious question of why continuing using gas when you acquired an electric car,
Anyone would do it if they could add an electric motor to a gas-powered automobile and call it an EV, with all the benefits that go along with that label. There are restrictions on what the gas engine can and cannot accomplish, however, in order to pass as a true series hybrid and comply with emission standards.
Unfortunately, these specifications vary depending on where you are. BMW decided to configure the BMW i3 REx for the American market so that the range extender activates automatically when the battery charge level is already critically low in order to comply with US rules. That will enable the car to travel an additional 40–80 miles while still limiting pollutants.
However, BMW also offers the driver the choice to use the range extender if the battery charge level falls below 75% for the European market. The range extender will work to preserve the state of charge in your battery once “Hold mode” has been activated in the iDrive menu.
Many US i3 REx owners have more than a little jealousy in their eyes as they observe that European configuration.
What does the BMW i3’s range extender do?
Increases driving enjoyment: The BMW i3’s optional Range Extender, which is situated next to the electric motor in the back of the vehicle, can extend the vehicle’s range in COMFORT Mode from up to 125 miles to a total of 205 miles. The BMW i3 can continue to operate only on electricity thanks to the compact, noiseless two-cylinder petrol engine that powers a generator that keeps the high-voltage battery’s charge level constant. When the battery level is low, the Range Extender automatically turns on.
If my BMW i3 has a range extender, how can I know?
The fuel flap on the front driver’s side of your car will reveal whether or not you have the optional range extender. The display additionally shows the fuel level and the condition of charge.
BMW stopped producing the i3 range extender when?
The BMW i3 had a unique architecture, unlike many hatchback-sized, all-electric vehicles that use the same underpinnings as their internal combustion counterparts. This contributed to the newly established electrified BMW I subdivision’s credibility in 2013, which was further strengthened by the plug-in hybrid i8 the following year.
In addition to demonstrating BMW’s commitment to the pure-electric industry, the i3’s platform also made it possible for it to acquire upgraded powertrains over the course of its lifecycle. It had an initial range of only 81 miles with a 22.6kWh battery pack (19kWh of which were serviceable). With a two-cylinder motorcycle engine from BMW Motorrad, the range-extender version of the i3 was available from the start and extended the vehicle’s range by 150 miles.
In 2017, BMW discontinued the range-extender variant and added a larger 33kWh battery to the pure-electric vehicle, extending the range to 114 miles. The facelifted BMW i3 was introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show of the same year with revised front and rear bumpers, standard-fit LED headlights, and updated wheel arch trims. Range was increased to 187 miles, and a sportier i3s model with a more potent motor, lowered suspension, and a wider track joined the lineup. With the most recent version of the iDrive system integrated into the 10.25-inch screen on the dash, the inside of the i3 remained almost unaltered.
The range was increased to a maximum of 190 miles in 2019 thanks to the installation of a larger 42.2kWh battery pack.
BMW declared that it would stop producing the i3 in 2022. In June 2022, a few weeks after sales of the i3 reached over 250,000 units worldwide, the final one rolled off the production line in Leipzig, Germany.
Similar to the final 18 limited edition i8s in 2020, BMW commissioned 18 units of the i3 to celebrate the end of production. Each unit was painted in BMW’s Galvanic Gold Metallic.
How electric is a BMW i3 range extender?
Thanks to its larger battery and increased range, the BMW i3 is a more alluring option than ever. The REx model outperforms the pure EV version, which will only cost pennies to operate. The i3 has a truly useable electric-only range, allowing you to potentially avoid using the petrol engine at all, in contrast to conventional plug-in competitors like the VW Golf GTE. Additional equipment like DC charging should also make it easier to live with.
Considering buying an electric vehicle is becoming more and more popular as a result of stricter emissions laws. However, range anxiety still exists, with many people afraid of simply running out of power.
BMW believes it has the solution. The i3’s all-electric range has nearly quadrupled thanks to the engineers’ installation of a denser 94Ah battery pack. The BMW i3 can now travel up to 195 miles, making it more than adequate for the typical daily commute.
But what if that is insufficient? What if the idea of being stranded at a service station along a highway without access to a plug still gives you the willies? Fortunately, managers decided to include the larger battery in the Range Extender model as well.
The problem is that it hasn’t grown at all. The new model is just slightly heavier than the outgoing vehicle since the 94Ah battery fits into the same space as the old unit. According to BMW, the vehicle can go 288 miles on a single charge and full tank of fuel, charging in about 40 minutes from empty to 80% full.