BMW is making some changes to its built-from-the-ground-up electric car by building in some more range. The all-electric BMW i3 first went on sale in 2014 as the first product from BMW's i division. The "i" stands for innovation—and now the company has innovated an improvement to the little electron-eater: going farther on a single charge.
The original i3 came with a published 80- to 100-mile range. Many i3 owners’ practical experience was closer to the 80-mile mark, although some hyper-milers managed to achieve results closer to the 100. Anyway, the new 2017 BMW i3 is expected to increase total electric range by 50%—to about 114 miles—thanks to a new 94-amp-hour (Ah) battery pack that uses higher-density lithium-ion cells to increase the capacity to 33 kilowatt hours (kWh). The original i3 had 60 Ah batteries with a 22 kWh capacity. (Don’t ask us how scientists decide which letters get capitalized. It’s almost like they’re working for BMW.)
The size of the battery pack remains the same, or at least close enough where old i3s can be retrofitted with new battery packs. Except here. BMW wasn’t entirely clear about why U.S. i3 owners can’t do the battery upgrade, but implied that we might want to ask BMW of North America. BMW also didn’t say how much a battery swap would cost, so there’s that, too.
BMW claims that independent tests show that the 114-mile combined city/highway range is possible even in varying weather conditions and with the air conditioner or heater turned on, so that’s significant.
For the slightly less adventurous, the 2017 BMW i3 also comes in the Range Extender model, which adds the capability of charging the batteries on the move using a two-cylinder gasoline engine. The additional components on the i3 REx bump the total weight by 270 pounds.
The new i3 also gets a new color. Protonic Blue metallic, previously offered on the BMW i8, can now be had on the i3. Other paint options include Capparis White, Fluid Black and Mineral Grey, Platinum Silver and Ionic Silver metallics.
For the first time, U.S. buyers can get an optional electric moonroof. The list of standard features has grown, and now includes: automatic climate control, Dynamic Cruise Control, LED Headlights, HD Radio, DC Fast Charging, Navigation Business System, Universal Garage Door Opener, Advanced Real-Time Traffic Information, Comfort Access, BMW Assist, and BMW Teleservices. Other standard features are the iDrive operation system, the BMW i RemoteApp connection, the Driving Dynamic Control switch, hands-free telephone operation, a leather steering wheel, and Park Distance Control (PDC).
Most i3 users will charge at home, provided they have a place to hang their charger. For slower charging with the 110-volt unit, all they need is a standard wall outlet. But BMW is also introducing the new Wi-Fi-capable BMW Home Charger Connect for faster residential use. It is more compact than the original level 2 charger, and fully charges the new 94 AH BMW i3 in about four and a half hours.
Here’s another benefit for new i3 adopters. BMW, in cooperation with EVgo, gives eligible i3 drivers in selected markets free charging for 24 months at participating EVgo Stations. Drivers may use their ChargeNow card for unlimited 30-minute, DC Fast Combo charging sessions and Unlimited one-hour, Level 2 charging sessions.
We will probably never see another street-legal BMW that isn’t filled to the gills with ConnectedDrive features and services. The 2017 i3’s optional Navigation System Professional has connected services made especially for BMW i. For example, if drivers pick a route that is beyond the i3’s range, the system politely hints that they switch to Eco Pro or Eco Pro+ mode, or suggests a more efficient route. All available charging stations along the route are plotted.
Using current battery status, driving style, the amount of electricity being used for comfort features, the driving mode, the road’s topography, current traffic, and outside temperature, the ship’s computer will draw a dynamic range map to show the driver how far the car can travel before a recharge.
All this is designed to help reduce range anxiety and ease the drivers' concerns over why they didn’t buy the Range Extended i3.
Prices for the 2017 BMW i3 basic electric vehicle and Range Extender models have not yet been released. Also unknown at this time is the cost i3 owners outside of the U.S. will be charged to replace their old battery packs with the new and improved version.—Scott Blazey
[Photos courtesy of BMW AG.]
