BMW ups the i3’s range with a bigger battery option and, at long last, the colour everyone wanted.
The BMW i3 range will be getting a new version with a larger battery pack to provide the small electric car with even more range and will be available in the protonic blue paint finish made recognisable by the BMW i8 hybrid sports car.
With the addition of a denser battery pack, the BMW i3 (94 Ah, as in Ampere Hours) can now cover a distance of up to 50 percent more on pure electric power over the previous smaller battery (60 Ah) model on a standard NEDC cycle, meaning up to 300km on electric power versus the 190km that was touted previously.
The Munich-based automaker will roll out the newer i3 with its larger capacity (22kWh, raised to 33kWh) battery to be sold alongside the 60 Ah all-electric i3. As before, it can be optioned as a Range Extender model that uses a 650cc two-cylinder gasoline engine to charge up the lithium-ion cells for that extra stamina.
Oddly, however, BMW has yet to release range information about the new i3 (94 Ah) when fitted with the Range Extender but prior to this would say that it adds a further 290km in coverable distance. Under normal driving conditions, they say that the new i3 can easily manage an average of 200km on a battery full charge under normal conditions.
The denser battery pack does add more weight to the i3, which brings the it to 1,245kg despite its carbon fibre reinforced plastic construction. Even so, the i3 gets to 100km/h from rest in just 7.3 seconds, propelled by its 125kW hybrid synchronous electric motor.
Because the battery and component packaging has remained unchanged in the i3, owners who’d like the extra range afforded by the higher capacity battery can choose to have the new pack retrofitted into their own cars.
For more on BMW's range of vehicles, including prices and specifications, check out our Showroom.
