Faltering BMW I3 Gets Bigger Battery, Better Range for 2019
Originally dubbed the “Mega City Vehicle,” BMW’s i3 garnered a lot of positive attention for its modern styling and adherence to alternative-energy powertrains when it launched in 2014. This did not translate into sales, however. As its former name implies, the i3 isn’t incredibly useful outside of an urban environment due to its meager range. Customers seem to have noticed. Despite moving 11,024 units in the United States in 2015, BMW looks to be on pace for half that volume this year.
For 2019, the automaker is offering the little EV with a new 42.2-kWh battery, which Bimmer says is good enough for 153 miles of all-electric driving. That’s a significant improvement over the the current 33-kWh model’s 115 miles of electric range and an absolute triumph over the i3’s initial 60 Ah (roughly 18.8 kWh) cell, which was only good for about 80 miles.
BMW intends to offer the new power source on both the standard i3 and it’s “sporty” variant, which comes with additional black cladding and a faster 0-to-60 time. The standard model will continue using a 170-horsepower electric motor that’s capable of 60 mph in just 7.2 seconds, while the i3s stays with its 181 hp mill and a 6.8-second time.
The slower-accelerating models that use range-extending gasoline engines should also be available for 2019, however, BMW did not say what improvements they might bring. We’d anticipate similar benefits to the pure-electric models: an estimated 30-percent addition to the maximum range. That should be sufficient to take the current i3, with a range extender, from 180 miles to well beyond 200.
While the bigger battery is the real star of the show, BMW also added a few visual enhancements that might help the new models stand out on the road. The automaker is offering a new color option, Jucaro Beige metallic with accentuations in Frozen Grey, while maintaining all previous paint hues.
New LED headlights with cornering lights and automatic high beams are also newly available, while the brand’s iDrive 6.0 infotainment system now comes on every vehicle equipped with navigation. BMW is also including Wi-Fi hotspot connectivity for up to ten devices and wireless phone charging.
Assembly of the of the 2019 BMW i3 commences in November. However, the automaker has yet to release an official launch date. Expect an announcement on that and pricing within the next month.
[Images: BMW]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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Matt, you repeat a couple of points about electric vehicles that make no logical sense to me. First, you assert that the BMW i3 is primarily a city vehicle, but I can't even imagine a customer buying an EV if they don't have a house with a garage where they can charge it. They probably have to own a house with a garage if they want to install a 240V electrical connection for fairly rapid charging. No practical way to own an EV if you park in shared parking. Second, I can't imagine that range >100 miles but
An argument can be made that most i3 buyers are well off and probably also own a convetional car (or a Tesla) for extended driving. The i3 is their grocery-getter/city car; big enough for a week of groceries and small enough for ease of parking. For such a scenario the range is more than sufficient. If only it looked sharper.