2018 BMW i3 – Quirky Looks

The i3 has been released more than 4 years ago and it quickly managed to become one of the better selling electric cars. Its quirky looks and great driving characteristics also meant it wasn’t just another poorly built electric car but something a lot more special. In order to allow the car to remain on the market for a few more years, a short while ago the German manufacturer released an update. The 2018 BMW i3 comes with a few upgrades over its predecessor, a slightly different look and a few new features. The end result remains a car that is still worth buying.

In detail

Unlike so many other cars on the road, the i3 actually uses a carbon fiber tub. This makes it the cheapest car to use this technology which is quite impressive considering how much technology goes into it. The carbon fiber construction also means the car is very light for an electric vehicle.

The regular electric model weighs in at less than 2,700 pounds while the range-extender version weighs just under 2,900 pounds which is vastly impressive. Even though at this point it still is unclear, it looks like the 2018 model of the car will go on sale shortly. The price is likely not going to change much despite all the upgrades it received. The only real change to its pricing will come at the top end of the range but more on that later.

2018 BMW i3 Interior

Unfortunately the cabin of the 2018 BMW i3 is actually mostly identical to the one before it. The car gets the same seats, materials and overall look of the dashboard. The interesting part is the new “s” model which is the sportier version of the car.

This gets slightly different upholstery, contrasting stitching as well as different color accents in order to make it seem a bit more interesting than the regular models. Another change is the car’s infotainment system. While the screen is the same resolution as before, the hardware and software of the system has been replaced with BMW’s latest iDrive unit which is faster and easier to use than before.

The exterior

At a first glance, the new i3 might seem identical to its predecessor. However, this is not really the case. The headlights and tail lights use new LED clusters in order to look a bit more modern. Also, the fog-lamps are now horizontal LED strips instead of the older round style which wasn’t really matched the rest of the car.

The new “s” model is even more special. This gets a new front bumper, wider wheel arches, new 20 inch rims which are also half an inch wider. Thanks to that the car looks beefier than before and also more eager to go fast.

2018 BMW i3 Specs

The regular electric version of the 2018 BMW i3 continues to offer 170 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. This is more than enough to make the i3 feel quite a bit faster than many other family cars. The “s” version on the other hand is slightly different. This received a new electric motor which has different roller bearings as well as a new control unit. The end result is 184 horsepower and 199 lb-ft of torque. This is enough to allow the car to hit 60 MPH in just 6.8 seconds and reach a top speed of around 100 MPH which is quite a bit better than before. The base model now gets a 33.2 kWh battery-pack which is enough for up to 114 miles of all electric range. The range-extender model gets an added gasoline generator that will extend that range up to 180 miles. Unfortunately, the REX i3 will only have an electric range of 97 miles due to the added weight of the generator.

2018 BMW i3
Dimensions And Weight
Wheelbase	101.18 in
Length	157.91 in
Height	62.91 in
Width	69.88 in
Weight	N/A
Engine And Transmission
Engine type	BMW eDrive technology: hybrid synchronous electric motor with integrated power electronics, charging unit and generator function for energy recuperation
Displacement	N/A
Power/torque	170 hp/184 lb-ft
Transmission	N/A
Performance
0-60 mph	7.3 sec.
Top speed	93 mph
PRICE RANGE: N/A
Competitors:Chevrolet Bolt,Tesla Model 3

BMW i3 Video