A new Era(?): BMW i3

Today the 2014 BMW i3 was revealed simultaneously in London, New York and Beijing.

So i'm writing to do the generic tech-n-spec that the internet is awash with and discuss the i3 and what it means for the eco motorist or perhaps more importantly motorists in general.

The i projects as the motoring world should now be well aware of, are BMW's crack at creating an entirely new line of cars engineered specifically to be eco friendly and fuel sipping and to lead BMW and I suspect some subsidiaries into the future (If i tech doesn't reach mini's in a hip and green fashion in the near future I will be surprised). The much talked about i3 and i8 are BMW's vision of the future proof eco friendly car in both the city car and performance car contexts. They are part research project and indeed just as importantly a tester for how the envisioned car for tomorrow fits in todays motoring world.

BMW describe it as a "revolutionary step toward sustainable mobility" as its 22 kWh lithium-ion battery and 170bhp electric motor make it the first major series production zero emissions car who's pricing is accessible to... no wait. It isn't. 

The Nissan Leaf has been on sale for around a year now and the Renault ZOE rocked up not long after that. Their figures didn't appear to be competitive or at bare minimum practical by comparison as an alternative to fuel burners. The spotlight figure for electric vehicles bearing in mind that many new(ish) diesels are capable of covering upwards of a 1000 kilometers, is range. The ZOE has 100-150km range, the Leaf in 2014 guise is now capable of between 175 and 199km. The BMW is capable of between 130 and 160 kilometers. Not especially revolutionary in light of its EV contemporaries which have themselves met stiff criticism regarding their capacity for use. The i3 is pricey too, at just over £25,000 (after the 5k government grant). 10 thousand or more than the other two. 

However... 

Although the EV race for me should not be a battle of badges, but a battle of raw engineering prowess and innovation, there is something to be said for BMW specifically making this vehicle: the target market and the effectiveness of the PR. Recent visits to London and the exotic car ripe western areas I have noticed a great deal of advertising (including displaying the i8 concept itself) from BMW at their sites on Park Lane for their i branding. When looking over the i3 today this made me realize that BMW has in their sights, very cleverly, a particular customer base. The worlds affluent and trendy cities, the likes of which present the only practical playground for such short range Zero emission cars as the i3, ZOE and Leaf are largely populated by equally affluent and trendy young environmentally conscious people. To this demographic the i3 as opposed to the ZOE and Leaf, presents a far more attractive proposition. Saving the world, and traveling in style. The kind of handsome looks and badge appeal that makes the worlds journos crowd around and take heed will likely do the same to the aforementioned section of the populous. When you consider the i3 in this kind of context the range becomes less of a concern. 

Cool looking interior.
Large screen resides throughout the range.

Cute and bubbly. Rounded and practical.

A respectable looking electric car.
At home in an affluent urban setting.

As opposed to the Leaf and the ZOE the i3 is revolutionary for the world of everyman electric motoring, but not because of the technology it brings to the table. It is because there is something interesting and appealing about the car, besides its electric drive. It looks quirky, handsome and quite taut, whilst practical and grown up. The impression with the Leaf is similar to the Toyota Prius in that it is asceticism in motoring. You sacrifice your style and luxury for the knowledge that you're driving the future of our planet, and that every other road user sees that. I am one of the Tesla/Fisker/Lexus proponents that says eco-motoring doesn't have to mean the sacrifice of style or dare I say it performance. One might encourage reference to the Porsche 918 Spyder and the Jag CX75 for quantification of those claims, but another might equally refute it for obvious reasons.

Back to the point...

The i3 essentially makes electric motoring trendy for the image conscious masses. By and large we are a people who like to look and feel good in our outlays. The Leaf smacks of the sort of hearse hatch for the older folks that are ten a penny. Drab, boring and with little appeal. The idea of an electric vehicle is something to get excited about and BMW has made that so. A lesson for Renault here too is that half if not three quarters of the battle in this segment at the moment is PR and the quite cute and lovable looking ZOE was to my eyes not pushed to the same effect as the BMWi who have arguably grabbed the bull by the horns and I see that bearing fruit from them in the short term. In the long run it will indeed be the technology that will have to stand the test of time and speak for itself but right now it is the job of these pioneering companies to market electric and get it out there. BMWi looks to be doing that with greater success than its contemporaries.