Official BMW i3 thread

[TomMoloughney]

Tom, do you think that the front seats on the i3 will actually resemble those on this concept, or will they be more conventional buckets? I spoke with Rich Stienberg (not sure if I got the spelling right) at EVS26 and he said that he thought that the actual seats might be more conventional than what we see on the concept.

Interesting you mention Rich Steinberg. Just 15 minutes ago I interviewed him to respond to the story by Automobile Magazine that BMW is concerned about and rethinking the i brand. I knew this was incorrect all along, but BMW didn't want to initially respond because they didn't think it was worth responding to. Well, I wouldn't let up and Rich agreed to let me interview him to set the record straight about this. I'll have the interview up on various sites tomorrow some time. Needless to say, he basically says there was no truth to the article.

As for the seats, I was told they will be VERY similar to what you see on the concept and that they will indeed be bench style to allow the front seating passengers access to exit either side of the vehicle easily. They will move forward and back independently of each other so it's not a true bench seat and that they won't be quite a flat as the concept looks. However I had this conversation months ago and things can obviously change but I was speaking to someone that would know.

 

[Boomer23]

As for the seats, I was told they will be VERY similar to what you see on the concept and that they will indeed be bench style to allow the front seating passengers access to exit either side of the vehicle easily. They will move forward and back independently of each other so it's not a true bench seat and that they won't be quite a flat as the concept looks. However I had this conversation months ago and things can obviously change but I was speaking to someone that would know.

Thanks Tom. I'll just say that the seats that they are showing on the i3 don't look super comfortable. One of the things that I love about BMW seats, especially the sport seats, is that they are so adjustable and can be made to fit most physiques comfortably. I'm skeptical about these seats on the i3. This is one car that I would definitely want to sit in before committing to a purchase.

I get that BMW is seeing the i3 as an opportunity to re-invent the car, and I respect that. But they should understand that, especially in the premium market space, we expect a very comfortable driving experience.

 

[TomMoloughney]

As for the seats, I was told they will be VERY similar to what you see on the concept and that they will indeed be bench style to allow the front seating passengers access to exit either side of the vehicle easily. They will move forward and back independently of each other so it's not a true bench seat and that they won't be quite a flat as the concept looks. However I had this conversation months ago and things can obviously change but I was speaking to someone that would know.

Thanks Tom. I'll just say that the seats that they are showing on the i3 don't look super comfortable. One of the things that I love about BMW seats, especially the sport seats, is that they are so adjustable and can be made to fit most physiques comfortably. I'm skeptical about these seats on the i3. This is one car that I would definitely want to sit in before committing to a purchase.

I get that BMW is seeing the i3 as an opportunity to re-invent the car, and I respect that. But they should understand that, especially in the premium market space, we expect a very comfortable driving experience.

Got it and agree. Who wants to sit in an uncomfortable seat? Especially on a $45,000 car (my guess- no inside info on the price) I doubt BMW would sacrifice the comfort of the driver, I'm sure they'll be comfortable an supportive.
I have started a poll on my blog that asks what you would pay for an i3 so take a look and vote if you haven't seen it already: http://bmwi3.blogspot.com/2012/06/iframe-allowtransparency-true.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[scottf200]

Exclusive: BMW Exec Denies Unplugging Electric Car Plans
Tom Moloughney

http://insideevs.com/exclusive-bmw-exec-denies-unplugging-electric-car-plans/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

On May 25th Automobile Magazine posted a story on their site that asked the question “Is BMW’s Project i about to be unplugged?” The story garnered a lot of attention and was reposted on dozens of automotive and green transportation websites. While there were no direct quotes from any BMW employee, the article insinuated that BMW was scaling back on future BMW i models, considering delaying the i3 launch and that the whole Project i was ‘skating on thin ice’.

 

[TomMoloughney]

Looks like someone snapped a picture of an i3 with the range extender option doing hot weather testing in Dubai:

http://bmwi3.blogspot.com/2012/06/first-public-sighting-of-i3-with-rex.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[gergg]

Hey Tom,

For some reason that profile/pic looks different(better) than others I've seen, maybe it is the angle, but seems like it just might be a looker. So when do you think the i3 will be available...lol

 

[scottf200]

Looks like someone snapped a picture of an i3 with the range extender option doing hot weather testing in Dubai:
http://bmwi3.blogspot.com/2012/06/first-public-sighting-of-i3-with-rex.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Forgot that was going to be an option. Nice!!

http://www.bmw-i.com/en_ww/bmw-i3/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Range extender increases the driving range.
As the MINI E field tests showed, 90 per cent of the mobility requirements of the pilot users could be met with the range of the MINI E. However, some customers want a longer driving range, or want their vehicle to be as flexible as possible. The BMW i3 Concept therefore offers an optional range extender, the REx, which allows the driving range to be increased. REx, a small, very smooth-running and quiet petrol engine, drives a generator which maintains the battery charge level to ensure that the vehicle can continue to run on electric power.

 

[TomMoloughney]

Hey Tom,

For some reason that profile/pic looks different(better) than others I've seen, maybe it is the angle, but seems like it just might be a looker. So when do you think the i3 will be available...lol

This looks like it may well be the final production version because I've now seen this exact same body on a few cars. Many of the spy shots you have seen previously were of test mules that had boxier-looking bodies. I think once the production version is revealed there is going to be a lot of people that are surprised how good it looks (compared to what they imagined it would look like based on the concept and the other spy photographs)

The i3 is going to launch Sept/Oct of next year. I maintain a blog with the latest i3 info if you are interested: http://bmwi3.blogspot.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[TomMoloughney]

Autocar got some new shots of an i3 doing hot weather testing in southern Spain: http://bmwi3.blogspot.com/2012/08/bmw-i3-spotted-again-during-hot-weather.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[TomMoloughney]

Bimmerpost was able to get a picture that exposes some of the i3's interior:
http://bmwi3.blogspot.com/2012/09/first-i3-interior-spy-shot-captured-by.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[TomMoloughney]

Some cool pictures of the i3 CFRP body and the powertrain:

 

[surfingslovak]

Tom, thank you so much for keeping the thread alive and posting these photos. They look great. Here's this week's announcement about the "Born Electric" tour stop in NYC from InsideEVs:

BMW’s worldwide “Born Electric” Tour is your best chance, as it makes its first and only stop inside the United States in New York City starting on November 13th, and running through November 18th. Also in attendance will be the BMW i8 Spyder (think i8 without a roof). Unfortunately, we will still have to wait a bit longer to see BMW’s all-new electric sedan the i4. That car will bow at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show beginning on the 28th of November.

 

[Jay]

Tom, thank you so much for keeping the thread alive and posting these photos. They look great. Here's this week's announcement about the "Born Electric" tour stop in NYC from InsideEVs:

BMW’s worldwide “Born Electric” Tour is your best chance, as it makes its first and only stop inside the United States in New York City starting on November 13th, and running through November 18th. Also in attendance will be the BMW i3 Spyder (think i8 without a roof). Unfortunately, we will still have to wait a bit longer to see BMW’s all-new electric sedan the i4. That car will bow at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show beginning on the 28th of November.

You copy and pasted that before the transposition error got fixed at the site, that should reference the spyder as being the i8, not the i3

...not like anyone here is going to think there is going to be an i3 spyder, but nonetheless.
Bunch of hacks writing over there, (=

 

[surfingslovak]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gusbi88h9r8[/youtube]
Born Electric Tour NYC teaser video.

BMW i invites you to a sneak peek into the future at the BMW i BORN ELECTRIC TOUR, which will open its doors every day from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m., right in the heart of the Big Apple at 6th Avenue/42nd Street (1095 Avenue of the Americas), just across from Bryant Park.

Have a glimpse at the outstanding concept vehicles of BMW i: the BMW i3 Concept and the BMW i8 Concept Spyder, developed in part from BMW ActiveE Field Trial learnings.

Click to open

 

[surfingslovak]

Here are a few pictures from an event at the Born Electric Tour in New York before it opens its gates to the public today at 10 am ET:

 

[surfingslovak]

Antony Ingram from Green Car Reports has much better pictures of the i8 Spyder. He was at the opening ceremony on Monday evening.

Running for a week in Manhattan, the tour showcases not only BMW's upcoming plug-in vehicles, but aims to explore the issues of future mobility too.

Speaking recently in a teleconference, BMW's Norbert Reithofer explained that BMW's mission is about far more than electric propulsion alone, and BMW is looking at materials, the way cars are used, and sustainability right through the value chain.

BMW's research has been carried out in conjunction with New York University, and highlights that changing economic and demographic conditions mean future urban transport could look very different from today. The study predicts future urban residents will move further away from car ownership, but still place value in smaller, more efficient, 'networked' vehicles to move around.

The remaining electronauts in attendance towards the end of the event:

 

[Fencer]

Unfortunately I am unable to attend the event. Please post more pictures of i3.

 

[surfingslovak]

Unfortunately I am unable to attend the event. Please post more pictures of i3.

Sorry to hear that, especially since the Tour is in your neck of the woods. Andre, a fellow electronaut from San Francisco, posted the pictures he took on Tuesday on Facebook. Here they are for your viewing pleasure. He is still in NYC, and took more pictures the following day. They are at very end of this string.

 

[surfingslovak]

 

[surfingslovak]