| Manufacturer | BMW |
|---|---|
| Also called | BMW Mega City Vehicle |
| Assembly | Leipzig, Germany |
| Electric motor | 130 kW (170 hp)[1] |
| Battery | 22 kWh lithium-ion battery[2] |
| Range | 130 to 160 km (80 to 100 mi) (BMW)[2] |
| Wheelbase | 2,600 mm (101 in)[1] |
| Length | 3,800 mm (151 in)[1] |
| Width | 2,000 mm (79 in)[1] |
| Height | 1,500 mm (60 in)[1] |
The BMW i3, previously Mega City Vehicle (MCV), is an urban electric car under development by BMW. The i3 is part of BMW's "Project i" and is being planned as a new brand, BMW i. The BMW i3 is expected to go into mass production in 2013 with deliveries in several world markets by that year end.[2][3][4][5] The i3 concept car was unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show and BMW announced the electric car will have a “REx” range extender option.[2][6] BMW plans to showcase a BMW i3 prototype during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[7]
The i3 will be BMW first zero emissions mass produced vehicle due to its electric powertrain, and BMW also expects to be the first company to launch a volume production vehicle on the market featuring carbon-fiber reinforced plastic to improve the vehicle's energy consumption.[8] The BMW i3 is expected to be priced in the U.S. at around US$35,000 (€24,500).[9]
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BMW's "Project i" is a program aimed to develop a lightweight eco-friendly urban electric car designed to address the mobility and sustainability needs for people who live in megacities.[4][10] According to BMW, "Project i" has three phases. The Mini E demonstration was the first phase of this project, and it will be followed around mid 2011 by a similar field testing with the BMW ActiveE all-electric vehicle. The ActiveE is based on the BMW 1 Series Coupe and will be built based on the lessons learned from the Mini E trial. The last phase of "Project i" is the development of the i3 and i8 electric cars.[3][4][11]
The automaker expects that its first series production all-electric drive vehicle will contribute to achieve an overall fleet fuel economy average of 35.5 miles per US gallon (6.63 L/100 km) by 2016, as mandated by the U.S. federal regulations. BMW expects high volume sales of the i3 to allow the company to continue selling in the U.S. several of its high-performance cars which have a low fuel economy.[3]
In February 2011 BMW announced that the new sub-brand for the commercialization of the vehicles produced under Project i will be called BMW i, and its vehicles will be sold separately from BMW or Mini. The first two production models will be the battery electric Mega City Vehicle, now called BMW i3, and a plug-in hybrid called i8, which is the production version of the Vision Efficient Dynamics concept unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show and has an all-electric range of 50 kilometres (31 mi). Production of both plug-in electric cars is scheduled to start in Leipzig in 2013.[5][12]
BMW explained that taking advantage of the fact that the vehicle does not need an internal combustion engine up front, the i3 is being designed from the ground up, but avoiding to look podlike, with a dynamic sweep of the roof and the beltine to make it look sportier than most electrics.[10] In order to achieve a lightweight car, the i3 will be the first mass production car to have most of its internal structure and body being made of carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP).[10][7][8] As of November 2010, BMW has only demonstrated the light weight of the passenger compartment, and the automaker's Chief Executive said they have already decided on the basic design of the car and that road-testing prototypes will begin soon.[13]
The i3 will feature four doors and seating for four occupants with dimensions being slightly larger than the MINI Cooper and BMW 1 Series but smaller than the BMW 3 Series. The i3 will be powered by a newly developed powertrain consisting of a 134 horsepower electric motor running on lithium-ion batteries and driving the rear axle.[7] BMW is aiming to achieve a 100 miles (160 km) range, the same expected for the BMW ActiveE, but in order to reduce weight with a battery capacity of 16 kWh instead of the ActiveE's 30 kWh.[3] A range extended version that functions similarly to the Chevrolet Volt is also being considered by BMW.[7]
Based on the experience from the field testing of the Mini E, BMW has learned that drivers get used to one-pedal driving with electric cars, as some 75% of all deceleration maneuvers are initiated without the brake pedal while in urban traffic, thanks to the brake regeneration function as the actual braking is applied only to the rear wheels. BMW plans to include this feature in the ActiveE and the i3 is likely to have also the one-pedal approach.[3] BMW also expects that the i3 will use the same type of battery and powertrain that will be tested in the BMW ActiveE trials.[4]
The prototype presented at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show has a 22 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that is expected to deliver between 130 to 160 km (80 to 100 mi) and the battery will take about four hours to fully charge from the 240-volt charging unit. BMW is planning to offer an optional gasoline range-extender engine. The i3 is expected to go from 0 to 100 kph (0 to 60 mph) in less than 8 seconds.[2][6] The BMW i3 has a 130 kW (170 hp) electric motor that will be mounted on the rear axle to drive the rear wheels . The top speed will be limited to 150 km/h (93 mph).[1]
BMW plans to manufacture the i3 body-in-white from carbon-fiber at a new US$100 million plant being built in Moses Lake, Washington, using raw material that will be shipped from Japan. This location was selected to take advantage of the abundant hydroelectric power available in this U.S. region because carbon-fiber production requires much energy and emits a lot of carbon dioxide. The carbon fiber will then be shipped to Landshut, Germany, where the carbon-fiber reinforced plastic parts will be fabricated, and the vehicle assembly line will be located in Leipzig. [3]
On November 2010, the Leipzig plant was inaugurated, with an investment in the production that will amount to €400 million euros (US$561 million) through 2013. The plant will be at BMW's complex that already produces variants of the 1 Series model.[13]
The i3 roll out is planned to include major cities around the world, including those in the United States, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, where the Mini E demonstration programs took place.
The 2013 market launch in the U.S. is scheduled to include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, and New York City, plus the suburban areas of New Jersey and Connecticut.[14]