.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
The BMW i3 in production guise isn’t scheduled to be revealed to the public until later this week, but photos of the car have already hit the web.
As expected, it closely resembles the handful of concept versions unveiled over the past two years, right down to the suicide-style rear doors and relatively spartan cabin. At the rear there is an “i3” badge denoting the vehicle’s name and a second “eDrive” badge is BMW's way of signifying it as an electric car.
The basic i3 will come with a five-door body and electric motor rated at 125kW/250Nm, driving the rear wheels via a fixed-gear transmission. On a single charge of its lithium-ion battery, owners should expect a driving range of 150km.
A second version uses a 650cc two-cylinder petrol engine (from BMW's scooter line-up) acting as a range-extender to give 300km of travel when a full tank of petrol and batteries at 100 per cent capacity are employed.
What’s so special about the i3 is that it is revolutionising the way mainstream cars are engineered and built. Most of its body is composed of lightweight composite materials such as reinforced carbon fibre plastic and its chassis is composed of aluminum and magnesium--the first mass-produced car with such attributes.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Comments