BMW i3: Modern and Progressive Launch

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【Summary】The article discusses the BMW i3, an innovative electric car from the modern era. It highlights how the i3 reimagined urban transport for the electric era and set BMW on a path towards battery-powered vehicles. The author praises the i3's futuristic design and engineering innovation, including its use of carbon fiber composites. However, the article also mentions that the i3 and its counterpart, the i8, were retired due to high production costs.

FutureCar Staff Aug 26, 2023 9:37 AM PT

An early BMW i3 recently passed through CAR HQ, giving us the opportunity to reevaluate this groundbreaking vehicle from the modern era. While you can read the full story of the i3 meeting the BMW i7 long-term test car on our Members' website, it sparked thoughts about how history will judge this innovative supermini.

The i3 was born from the Mega City Vehicle (MCV) project in the Noughties, completely reimagining urban transportation for the electric era. This car set BMW on a new path, one that increasingly embraces battery-powered vehicles and challenges traditional thinking. Even a decade later, this 2013 model, one of the earliest sold in the UK, still looks futuristic and modern, especially in its Storm Trooper white-on-black color scheme.

Project i, which began in 2012, introduced the i3 city car and the i8 hybrid sports car. These cars showcased Munich's ability to pioneer innovative designs and engineering. They propelled us into an electrified future that many motorists didn't fully comprehend at the time, yet managed to maintain the brand's values with impressive performance and dynamic capabilities.

Both the i3 and i8 utilized carbon fiber composites in their construction to save weight and provide a rigid platform for the suspension. As a result, they handled and maneuvered as well as any contemporary BMW, with the i3 even outperforming a period M3 in 0-30mph acceleration.

However, the high production costs associated with their engineering solutions led to the retirement of both cars, with the i3 being discontinued just last year. Despite this, the i3 remains a testament to BMW's commitment to engineering innovation.

My encounter with the i3 highlighted just how revolutionary Project i was. It wasn't simply about fitting new powertrains into existing models or tweaking bodywork; it was a completely fresh approach. The lessons learned from the i3 may live on in future electrified BMWs, but the spirit of true innovation seems diluted in the current lineup, as exemplified by the i7 and its reliance on gadgets and complex digital ecosystems. I long for a new generation of BMWs that push the boundaries once again, combining technical innovation with design excellence and embracing a more enlightened path forward.

The i3 deserves to be remembered as a pioneering vehicle, and we can only hope that the upcoming successors to the BMW Neue Klasse will continue in its footsteps. For a detailed comparison between the i3 and i7, don't miss our full article on our Members' website.