BMW’s apt term used in conjunction with its i-series of electric cars is BornElectric. This birth process, of sorts, will commence here in South Africa by the middle of 2014 with the introduction of the i3 electric city vehicle and i8 plug-in-hybrid supercar.
E-mobility summit
The recent BMW E-mobility stakeholder summit in George, Western Cape, not only outlined BMW’s future plans regarding sustainability and reducing CO2 emissions but requested that we voice our opinions on electric vehicles in the context of the South African market. This included purchase price, availability of electricity, infrastructure, vehicle safety, range anxiety and the long-term ownership proposition. BMW will be liaising with government and other electric vehicle manufacturers (i.e. Nissan) to collaborate resources and make zero-emission driving a reality on local soil.
BMW i3
According to BMW, the i3 city vehicle will be the world’s first mass produced carbon-fibre bodied vehicle and will weigh only 1 250 kg, including the battery pack – an astounding achievement. This four-door passenger vehicle will feature an electric powertrain developing 125 kW and 250 N.m driving the rear wheels through a single speed gearbox. We have driven a 1-series ActiveE prototype electric vehicle with this powertrain and, despite being 500 kg heavier than the i3, it was responsive, extremely quiet and refined. The i3s performance should be brisk, with an expected 0-100 km time of around 8 seconds and a top speed of 150 km/h. Expect a useable operating range of around 160 km on a full charge. 100 units will arrive in South Africa in 2014 with an estimated price of around R 450 000.
BMW i8
The revolutionary i8 electric supercar is the “halo” model of the i series range and BMW is confident that it will have no problem shifting the 20 examples allocated for South Africa. The powertrain consists of a 96 kW / 250 N.m electric motor and 164 kW / 300 N.m three-cylinder turbopetrol engine acting as a range extender. The total system output is rated at 260 kW and should provide this all-wheel-drive vehicle with explosive performance. BMW claims a 0-100km/h time of under five seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h.