Tag: i3

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BMW i3 Experience in Istanbul

During my summer vacation back home in Turkey, I had the chance to drive the BMW i3 in Istanbul. First, the BMW i3 offers a massive interior space that cannot be found in the 3-Series. This massive space includes the rear passenger area as well. Regarding the instrument panel, unlike other BMW models, it is very clean simple. However, when you get inside the i3, you won’t feel alienated by the centre console.

However, the gear lever is a bit tricky, but you will become used to it very easily. When you start the engine, there is no engine noise. So, don’t be surprised by the silence. Your nearly 10-year old MacBook Pro may generate more noise when you run it!

The surprise comes when you accelerate; the i3 has a unique throttle pedal. When the drive mode is in ECO or ECO Pro, the throttle pedal gives a breaking effect when you lift the throttle. How does this happen? As soon as you lift your foot from the throttle, the regenerative brakes engage heavily and the i3 starts to slowdown. The break pedal isn’t used, if you are not driving aggressively.

Personally, I always thought they should combine the throttle and brake pedals into one pedal and reduce the braking distance. The BMW i3 offers something similar to this. The only downside is that you can’t rest your foot. As soon as you lift the throttle, the i3 slows down dramatically. If you are not happy with this function, you need to shift to the comfort mode. However, this mode will reduce the range of the i3.

The other amazing feature of the i3 is the turning circle. If you think the London Black Cab has a great turning circle, you haven’t driven the i3. The front-end of the car does not have any mechanical parts, and this leaves considerable room for a massive turning circle! You can easily make U-turns in places smaller than your living room.

The driving character, acceleration, and handling satisfy the expectations of the BMW brand. Thanks to the battery pack underneath, the body reduces the centre of gravity and improves the driving experience. I didn’t feel the height of the vehicle while driving. The downside is that there is literally no room for a boot. It is tiny, and you don’t have space for a spare wheel. I would highly suggest getting your own tiny spare wheel for emergencies.

In the end, the BMW i3 is a great car! If you are planning to buy one, get it with the range extender and enjoy the i3 without any range anxiety.

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Autosport International 2014 #asi14 | West Midlands Police Cars McLaren MP4-12C, BMW i3 and 1-Series

New cars of West Midlands Highway Police; McLaren MP4-12C, BMW i3 and BMW 1-Series. Many of might be thinking the West Midlands paid to buy these cars but they are donated, so don’t be confused with the conversation on Twitter. If you want to see the new cars of West Midlands Police, just visit the Autosport International 2014, Hall 10.

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BMW i3 Worth to Buy?

BMW i3, finally I had chance to see the production version. My first impression was, i3 looks something really different than the other BMW cars. You notice the authentic character of the i3 very easily. Designers managed to reflect the electric drive train to design language. Even though the i3 is a small car from outside, but the interior space and rear legroom is more than enough. Actually, it is very spacious for its size. 
However, the boot is tiny but i3 is a small car. Also the rear-hinged doors are really nice feature and resemble with Rolls Royce. And it is really easy to getting in and out for the rear seats. And overall interior quality of BMW i3 is way better than the 1-Series, even the 3-Series!
Technical details of BMW i3: I highly recommend the two-stroke generator with 9-lt fuel tank. Buy it, you won’t have the stress of charging. Electric engine is 120 HP with 250 Nm of torque. Only 9,2 seconds is enough to reach 100 km/h and the top speed is limited to 150 km/h for better efficiency. Battery capacity is 19kWh and you can use rapid chargers. Tyres are 155/ 70 R19 and look funny.
Worth to buy? Yes!

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BMW i3 Official Photos | Electric BMW

BMW i3 is finally revealed to public. i3 is powered by an electric engine with  170 HP / 250 Nm of torque. BMW i3 only needs 7.2 seconds to reach 100 km/h with the limited top speed of 150 km/h. This car, i3 is the first pure electric BMW and created a new path for the future of BMW. i3 not only opened a new path on electric powertrain, but also defined a new path in terms of using aluminium and carbon-fibre together in a platform. 
BMW i3 is powered electricity and many people will be concerned by the range. According to BMW, i3 is capable of travelling between 130 – 160 km and daily average we cover 64 km. i3 is designed for city driving, however if you opt for the range extender, you will be able to cover 300 km with the BMW i3. The range extender of BMW i3 is a 34 HP two-cylinder engine placed at the rear axle to provide 50:50 weight distribution. When you purchase the BMW i3 with the range extender, there is nothing different than a normal car. Range will not be an issue anymore.
In terms of design, BMW i3’s exterior is absurd, question mark, vague. I mean, i3 resembles with Mini Clubman. The rear doors have very funny window curves, rear of the i3 is weird, and also the curves at the front are absurd as well. But I love the Rolls Royce style rear-hinged door! Honestly, why did BMW made so many curves around the vehicle, what is the point! If they are for the aerodynamics, I have nothing to say. But if they are for beauty, I am not the right person to love BMW i3. I love, form equals function person, I really don’t like to see curves and parts that do not have any function at all.
Despite this absurd exterior, I really loved the interior of the BMW i3. BMW designer managed to integrate the high technology with the natural materials like wood and leather. Honestly, this cannot be achieved this beautifully before. I am speechless with the interior of the BMW i3. Interior of BMW i3 is my new benchmark!
Will I buy one? I would definitely buy a BMW i3. Because, it is way different than a traditional BMW and captures different type of consumers. i3 is the reflection of high-tech and automotive engagement with luxury touches. And it is unique. I really love the idea of using electric powertrain with a range extender. I mean for a small car, BMW i3 is the perfect choice. I would definitely buy one and moan everyday for its weird exterior design.
Price of BMW i3? Starts from €34,450 without range extender and with range extender €34,950. My opinion, go for the BMW i3 with range extender. It is not that expensive and it is only a two-cylinder engine. 
Okay, it is expenseive, you can buy better car, bla bla bla. Unfortunately, you are buying a brand new technology. Why don’t you say this the same words when you are going to replace your iPhone 5 with iPhone 5s ;)
Lastly, press event of the BMW i3 was disappointing. Automotive industry has to remove that extreme serious faces during the product launches. Just look at the Apple or Samsung, everyone smiles, no one wears black Armani or Hugo Boss suits. And bring exciting crowd like Apple does, there should be people who can show passion and tweet live! Otherwise, people will not watch it like Apple’s press events. Sorry to say this. Because, BMW i3 deserved better :( 


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BMW
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BMW i3 is Official Now

Details of BMW i3. i3 was a bit mystery, it was the BMW’s first step to enter to electric world with a brand range of vehicles. BMW named the range with “i”. And i-Series does not share any designed or infrastructure similarity with the existing BMW vehicle range. It is a brand new range with a brand new perspective. 
That’s why everyone was curious about the BMW i-Series, hopefully BMW released the official details of the i3 today. BMW i3 shares the same 50:50 weight distribution like all other BMWs. i3 is made the passenger cell from carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP). It is powered by a 50-kg, 170 HP / 250 Nm electric motor. Zero to 100 km/h acceleration is only 7.2 seconds and the range of electric driving is around 130-160 KM. BMW i3 also features a tiny on-board generator to avoid running out of charge. 0.65-lt two-cylinder engine is placed at rear axle for better weight distribution and it produces 34 HP to charge the batteries and extend the range up to 300km. 
The interesting feature of BMW i3 is the single-pedal concept. According to press release, there will be only one pedal acts as throttle and brake at the same time. As I understand, when you leave your foot gently, BMW i3 will be coasting. Basically, if you leave your foot from the pedal gently, it will be coasting; if you leave your foot very rapidly it will be braking and someone will crash you from the rear. Because, we always leave the throttle very rapidly. This feature was never used at any type of vehicle and hinders potential accidents! I am definitely sure, BMW will remove the single-pedal drive concept. This system may sound very efficient on paper but when you consider the average drivers, it will be a huge disaster!
Anyway, BMW opened a new chapter in premium electric car market with i-Series!


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BMW
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Official BMW i3 Camouflaged Spy Photos

BMW i3 is officially spied, sorry official spy photos were released or someone took the spy photos and revealed as official. Let me justify this, usually website or blogs reveal spy photos with camouflage cover. However, BMW moved one step ahead and released the camouflaged photos on BMW i Facebook Page.  
BMW i3 is powered by an electric motor wit 170 HP with 250 Nm of torque. Acceleration to 100 km/h is only 7.9 seconds with the top speed of 150 km/h. A single charge range is between 130 – 160 km. Also i3 REx model will feature an on-board generator to extend the range up to 300 km. And i3 REx will be the best seller thanks to on-board generator. You will feel safer with a generator with you.

And why don’t BMW offer camouflage texture as a paint option. I am sure some people will love to buy it.

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BMW
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BMW i Store in London with i3

BMW i Series started as a concept vehicles, moved to production and now there is a dealer for i Series. Couple of months ago I visited the BMW dealer in Park Lane, actually I couldn’t visit because it was under construction. I was thinking, BMW will refurbish the dealer and open again. However, it did not happen like that! BMW opened the first i Series Store in Park Lane, London.

Now, you have the opportunity to see the future of mobility by BMW in Park Lane, London. BMW i3 and i Pedelec bicycle. BMW i3 is powered by an electric motor with 170 PS of power and 250 Nm of torque with the top speed of 150 kph (95 mph). And BMW i Pedelec produces 250 W of power with 20 Nm of torque with the top speed of 25 kph (16 mph).

If you want to see more, visit the BMW i Store in Park Lane, London.

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BMW