BMW I3s: Electric M

2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 05:39

BMW has given the i3 a boost in performance. The electric car impressively emphasizes that vehicles with alternative drives can also increase driving pleasure.

It was a matter of time. Now that the various car manufacturers are launching series-produced electric cars on the market, the sporty versions should of course not be missing. The i-driver can now enjoy what his M is to the BMW driver. With the i3s, the electrical division of the Munich-based company has installed the first sporty representative in the realm of electric series vehicles.

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For this, the electric athlete received a 33 kWh battery with which up to 280 kilometers according to the NEDC cycle, 245 according to the WLTP cycle, are theoretically feasible. But theory will have a hard time keeping up with practice. If the start of the electric car has always been very sporty per se, the i3s lasts even longer in the sprint.

BMW i3s with a furious traffic light start

In the first 50 meters, the Bipper, which weighs just under 1.4 tons despite the battery, leaves the competition behind. But the 9.1 seconds for the distance from zero to 100 km / h are also impressive. The propulsion stops up to 160 km / h, but this value is only important if a short distance is to be covered quickly, as a higher speed also minimizes energy more quickly.

And the risk is high, as starting up is one of the most beautiful experiences in an electric car. The 250 Newton meters are available right from the start and allow the driver's mouth to slide up while the head is pressed against the headrest.

Premiere for new traction control

But it's not just the performance that counts, but the interaction with the chassis. As with the combustion engine, the so-called driving experience switch has now also made it into electric cars. With it, the 4.01 meter long i3s can be set between Eco and Sport. Whereby the electric BMW even in the comfort version rolls quite tightly over the asphalt.

Traction control is celebrating a special premiere. This has now been accommodated directly in the engine control and now works a hundred times faster than the previous version, which is very noticeable on a damp surface. Without being confused, the i3s shoots across the wet road as if from a bow. After the premiere next week, the newly developed traction control will also be installed in the other production models from the Munich-based company.

Dynamic outer skin

But even on fast slalom courses, the electric speedster is very dynamic. The rear-wheel drive also allows better steering behavior, so that the turning circle is only 9.86 meters. And so we come to the main area of application for the i3s. Even if up to 280 kilometers are theoretically possible, the BMW is mostly used in urban areas and their periphery. Its dynamics are not a disadvantage, as is the visual appearance.

With a two-tone finish, the sporty version appears a little flatter than the normal production version, but the impression is deceptive. Instead, the track is wider and so are the wheel arches, which gives the i3s a more compact impression. In the interior, a tablet-like touchscreen dominates the dashboard. Most of the functions can be operated just as intuitively as on the steering wheel or the center console. The gearshift lever on the steering wheel also houses the start button.

BMW i3s from 41,000 euros

It is progressing quietly, which requires more attention from the driver, especially in city traffic, as the driver has to be more careful with pedestrians and cyclists, for whom electric vehicles still have a niche function. You do not expect a car to move so quietly and virtually unnoticed and then you are not quite as attentive.

And more than responsibility is also difficult. Because the driver himself changes his driving style and also wants to drive economically through urban traffic with the i3s. The brakes are hardly needed because the BMW recuperates so much after leaving the right foot of the pedal that the car comes to a standstill after a few meters. At the same time, the battery is recharged so that very little energy is required in pure city traffic.

Nevertheless, the range is used up at some point and the i3s has to be plugged in. It takes 39 minutes at a fast charging station, and 80 percent are charged at home in 7:30 hours. BMW specifies consumption as 13.1 to 13.6 kWh, depending on the tire size. But before the current flows through the veins, 41,000 euros have to be invested for the basic version. If all gadgets are on board - including driving safety systems or leather seats, 56,000 euros are due. The price jumps are not surprising, because the M variants of the internal combustion engines also have a similar price structure. Sportiness has its price.