I did my first electric car test drive at the CES convention in Vegas. It was the BMW i3, and WOW! is all I can say. Does the Leaf have the same pick up for those that have driven both. The car just flew off the line when I pressed the pedal, and when I took my foot off the pedal, it came to a complete stop in seconds. I never experienced anything like it. That was the most fun I have ever had in a car with all my clothes on.After my test drive, I cant help but see the demise of gas cars in 5 to 7 years if the price of both are close to equal, and you can get 150 to 200 miles on a charge. BMW gets it. No wonder they went full force into electric.
BMW i3 vs Leaf
- Thread starter evboy
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Berlino
Well-known member
There's already an entire (very long) thread on the i3. Your answer is probably there.
Boomer23
Well-known member
The BMW is MUCH quicker off the line than the LEAF. The comparison in 0-60 mph times is BMW: 7 seconds, LEAF: about 10 seconds. The BMW is the quickest widely available production EV short of anything Tesla makes (excludes rare exotic EVs such as Mercedes or some highly exotic European supercars).
As for the regen braking on the throttle pedal, that is a BMW EV trademark characteristic ever since the first Mini E field trial car and continuing into the BMW ActiveE field trial. It takes some getting used to in order to drive smoothly that way, but almost all Mini E and ActiveE drivers love it and don't want to go back to weaker regen.
These driving dynamics might have rocked your world, but they are definitely a matter of taste. Lots of folks love their LEAFs and wouldn't give up their LEAFs' driving dynamics and superior interior space in order to get the extra acceleration, strong regen, seating for only 4, tricky rear hinged rear doors and smaller trunk space of the BMW.
As for price comparisons, the base LEAF is around $28k while the base i3 is around $42k, though better equipped. The top of the line LEAF SL is about $36k and the top optioned i3 BEV (without the range extending gas engine) is about $52k, again better equipped than the LEAF SL.
As for the regen braking on the throttle pedal, that is a BMW EV trademark characteristic ever since the first Mini E field trial car and continuing into the BMW ActiveE field trial. It takes some getting used to in order to drive smoothly that way, but almost all Mini E and ActiveE drivers love it and don't want to go back to weaker regen.
These driving dynamics might have rocked your world, but they are definitely a matter of taste. Lots of folks love their LEAFs and wouldn't give up their LEAFs' driving dynamics and superior interior space in order to get the extra acceleration, strong regen, seating for only 4, tricky rear hinged rear doors and smaller trunk space of the BMW.
As for price comparisons, the base LEAF is around $28k while the base i3 is around $42k, though better equipped. The top of the line LEAF SL is about $36k and the top optioned i3 BEV (without the range extending gas engine) is about $52k, again better equipped than the LEAF SL.
adric22
Well-known member
I have no doubt the i3 is a superior car to the Leaf in many ways. But the Leaf has many advantages:
But.. If you want a range extender the Leaf is out of the running.
- Nearly half the price
- Seats 5 people
- established fast charging network in place in many cities
- More interior space and cargo area
But.. If you want a range extender the Leaf is out of the running.
mbender
Well-known member
For California residents, one other big drawback to the i3 is that it reportedly will not qualify for the state's coveted white carpool sticker. It qualifies for the green one, but they are limited in number and will run out this year (2014).
EVDRIVER
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Boomer23 said:
To clarify, the strong regen is a result of innovation and application by AC propulsion that made the drive for the MINI E and that the Telsa emerged from. BMW really does not deserve a pat on the back for EV promotion, NIssan and Tesla do. My guess is they will get attention on this car and act as though they were EV pioneers when they fought it like the worst of them. Of course all the BMW people will soon believe BMW was and is the tech leader. Of course you get to add the $10K of basic options which they are known for. BMW years ago found their cars sold better in the US when they boosted prices to make the car a status symbol. Other than the amazing boxer motors on the motorcycles I can't think of any significant BMW auto tech innovation that stands out. At the high price point this will be another EV not for the masses because of pricing.
Boomer23
Well-known member
mbender said:
That applies only to the gas range extended version, of course. The pure electric BEV version gets the white sticker and all other incentives, same as LEAF.
Klayfish
Well-known member
Since the i3 is a BMW, I'd be highly concerned about build quality.
evnow
Well-known member
Klayfish said:
Not sure about build quality - but ActiveEs have had a long history of troubled drivetrains. No idea how well the i3 drive train holds up.
Anyway, the biggest difference to me is the
- 5 seats vs 4 seats
- normal rear doors vs suicide doors
These are big enough reasons for anyone with small kids to disregard i3. It is simply an impractical car for us.
Berlino
Well-known member
Heated front seats are an option in the USA, but I don't see any mention of heated rear seats. Did I overlook them, or is this a big disadvantage for families in cold weather?
evnow
Well-known member
Not if you use child seats in the rear ...Berlino said:
Valdemar
Well-known member
I'm going to speculate, but 0-35mph performance is probably comparable between both cars and this covers most of your city driving. The bimmer pulls much stronger at higher speeds. I never drove a later model Leaf, but my 11 is pretty quick off the line. I drove the i3 during LA auto show in November.
Boomer23
Well-known member
Valdemar said:
Nope, the i3 eats the LEAF's lunch from the first second.
Valdemar
Well-known member
Boomer23 said:
Do you have data to back it up? Both should reach 35mph in about 3.5 seconds based on what I could find. Leaf is heavier but has more torque, at least on paper.
Boomer23
Well-known member
Valdemar said:
Mostly the calibrated seat of my own pants, but I see that Motor Trend has the 2011 LEAF doing 40 mph in 4.7 sec. I doubt that it could do 35 in 3.5 sec. You could be right, though. Motor Trend also has the LEAF doing 30 mph in 3.1 sec.
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/alternative/1108_2011_chevrolet_volt_vs_2011_nissan_leaf_vs_2011_toyota_prius_comparison/viewall.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
No bets, but my impression was that the i3 was faster than the LEAF from the very get go, but it might have been the rush as it built speed over 30 mph. We'll see when more testing gets done.
Valdemar
Well-known member
The newer Leafs are said to be felt slower from a full stop, this could explain your perception of the i3 vs. the Leaf (I still drive the '11).
Boomer23
Well-known member
Valdemar said:
I definitely feel that difference in the 2013. Not happy about it, either.
TomT
Well-known member
I was working at CES the last week and a half and was given an i3 to drive for a day. It definitely feels stronger than the Leaf at all speeds from 0 up to 60 (which is as fast as I had the opportunity to drive it)... Handling and braking is also much better despite the bicycle style tires... I very much liked the much more aggressive regen... They are the same vehicles that were at the L.A. Auto Show.
Boomer23
Well-known member
So do you want one now, Tom?
