BMW i3 makes local debut

BMW Australia has debuted its all new i3 premium electric car to the press at its HQ in Melbourne today.

Due to arrive in a select few BMW dealerships from July 2014, BMW Australia's Managing Director Phil Horton said the i3 is a game changer for electric vehicles, and will be offered as both a pure electric and range-extending petrol-electric hybrid vehicle.

"We believe it's the most compelling concept yet for electric mobility," said Horton.

The company wouldn't confirm the electric car's price, but buyers can expect the i3 to cost in excess of $60,000 hinted the BMW boss.

"It's not that we're going to price these vehicles massively above a [$60,000 Holden] Volt, but clearly BMW would always price above those cars. We feel that the concept and the product is different enough and advanced enough that we will find a market for that," Horton said.

The Bavarian car maker's Australian operation revealed that it had amassed around 1000 enquiries for the new i3, with a number of those enquiries translating into deposits. Nevertheless the company is keeping its sales targets modest, confirming a "relatively limited" number of vehicles will be imported to Australia in mid 2014.

Standard i3s are will be powered by a 125kW electric motor with 250Nm of torque which is channelled to the rear wheels. Motorists can expect a range of 130-160 kilometres on one charge says BMW.

The all-electric driveline allows the four door eco-car hit the 100km/h dash in a respectable 7.2 seconds.

Drivers fearful of 'range anxiety' will be comforted to know that the Bavarian marque will also offer a range extender or "REx" in BMW speak, which is essentially a 650cc, 25kW twin-cylinder petrol engine from a scooter that works in conjunction with the battery pack, increasing range to 240-300 kilometres.

The REx completes the 0-100 sprint in 7.9 seconds.

Unlike the Holden Volt, where the petrol engine can drive the front wheels in extreme circumstances, the REx variant's tiny petrol engine is not connected to the driving wheels, it only exists to recharge the lithium-ion battery pack.

The electric i30 model weighs in at 1195 kg and the REx tips the scales at 1315kgs.

In another first, the i3 is built around BMW’s "LifeDrive" architecture, which broadly consists of carbon fibre panels bolted to an aluminium base. The i3 is manufactured alongside the hybrid i8 supercar - due here in late 2014 - at a facility in Leipzig, Germany, which is powered purely by wind-generated electricity.

While many North American and European cities have adopted electric vehicle charging stations and electric infrastructure in public places, BMW's research claims that 97 per cent of customers will opt to charge their car at home, and will offer customers to purchase an 'iWallbox' which is available from dealers for roughly $1500.

The iWallbox has been developed by BMW and can allow owners to charge their vehicle within six hours, as opposed to a standard domestic wall socket which will take 11 hours. The company also said it could provide regular petrol/diesel cars to i3 customers for up to 10 days per year for longer trips.

Tech-savvy punters can manipulate and monitor their i3 with the BMW ConnectedDrive remote app, which is compatible with both iOS and Android operating systems. It permits owners to check on their vehicle's charging status, unlock the doors, turn on the air-con, and will tell them if they have left an interior light on for example.

Although motoring.com.au was unable to drive the pre-production i3 at the launch event, we can confirm that the interior is spacious, high-tech and is of a good quality. The 'Lodge' specification display vehicle had seat trim manufactured from a combination of recycled polyester and wool, and the dashboard was accented with approved Eucalyptus wood.

The elevated driving position will also appeal to drivers seeking a more commanding view of the road ahead than most regular compact cars.

Storage space also reasonable, with 260 litres at the rear that extends to 1100 litres, courtesy of the 50:50 split fold rear seats. An additional 35 litre storage compartment is available under the bonnet, where you'd usually find the engine.

Australian-delivered BMW i3s will feature high specification levels, four interior trim combinations and six exterior colours.

Initially, BMW will appoint one dealer in each capital city, starting with Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth in mid 2014 ahead of the car's sales debut. BMW plans to expand into Canberra and Adelaide at a later date.

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