Overview & Reviews

User Reviews:

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  Better than expected! - 2015 BMW i3
  By Dave - January 8 - 10:59 am

  We test-drove an i3 during BMWs launch in April 2014. Were impressed but there was no urgency in getting one(yet). Meanwhile, we continued to monitor its progress and other brands offerings. Last year(2015), as my two kids started multiple after-school activities which averaged 45 miles round-trips per day, the carbon footprint (and gasoline bills) started climbing. We decided to look at EV again. With attractive year-end incentives and government rebates, we went out and bought one. The whole family(especially the kids) is enjoying the new ride. We feel less guilty about our carbon footprint with this vehicle. For our use cases, it was the best option. The rear seats are a bit small(compared to our sedan) but for local travel, it was not an issue. The acceleration is good and we like the newer technology that came pretty much standard in this car.

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  Outstanding Car - 2015 BMW i3
  By Brad N - November 24 - 4:33 pm

  Seamless performance and comfort. Serenely quiet. The ultimate commuter. Still digesting that there is really no maintenance - just plug it in at home or the office every few days. I drive 20-30 miles/day and it is exceptionally well-suited to my use. I could not be happier the i3 - hard to imagine going back to an ICE after this.

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  i3 VS 2013 Chevy Volt - 2015 BMW i3
  By Bruce M. - August 29 - 12:01 am

  My volt lease was up and I couldnt extend to wait for the 16 volt. So I wanted to stay electric and this was the only other choice with "range extending" capabilities. So as a VERY happy Volt owner I was very worried about changing. So here is the deal. Had the car a week with a mix of city and freeway driving at speeds up to 75 mph. BMW -the plusses: way faster acceleration . Way quieter ride. Better road feel and solid feeling. Perfect regenerative braking. Much roomier cabin and comfort for tall folks ( Im 63). Better/Great turning radius. Perfect higher but not to high seating/drivin position. Easy In&Out. Considerably better battery range - about 72 miles / compared to 38 miles. Better regenerative battery charging in city driving. Able to extend mileage better. Much better BMW 4 year full maintenance warranty. Love the "coast" mode when you just ease off the gas just right. One pedal driving!! Love that! Easier access to rear seats. Better safety features ( adaptive cruise control with city stop start is awesome). Have not seen this on another car. Set it for 40 mph. Brings you to a stop in traffic and stays engaged. Then starts you up again when the light changes. Pretty much auto pilot driving. Auto magic Parallel parking mode. (Have not tried this yet so cant say if it actually works well or not). Traffic nav system included with best energy routes based on traffic. Better solid German build quality compared to volt. Switch gear , fit and finish. So whats not to like that the Volt does better? Ride still to "stiff" and I have the 19" wheels. Its on the border of being the perfect balance. The 20" wheels have a lower profile tire so I am sure they would make the ride even more stiff which would not be good. I dont know why so many car manufacturers keep making such stiff suspensions when most americans like a softer ride. Cant you find the right balance? Some cars do, but a lot dont. (Rumor is the new 2016 volt will have a better ride quality than the current model). Also not good in the BMW is the car is a bit "skittery" on broken pavement when taking a turn. Especially the back can kick out. This is because it is very light and the tires are very thin. But the regular handling on decent roads feels good but the steering is very "sensitive. Especially at freeway speeds. The slightest movement of the wheel really moves the car. I may get used to this but for now I have a harder time keeping the car in a straight line. Dont know if this is the thin tires or light weight or weight of the electric steering or a combination of all three but this is where the volt drives much better. User customization of the many features of the car is lacking and much better in the Volt. Range extender engine is much quieter in the BMW but has only a 1.9 gallon tank which will get you about 60 miles more if full. Volt holds 8 gallons so gets you the range of a regular car. So the BMW is really a city car with the bonus of if you need to make a ton of trips across town in one day, you can do it. So if you are cool with just a city car you should not have any concerns about the BMW. Larger side mirrors on the volt are better. New volt will have lane departure warning and blind spot monitoring. BMW doesnt have that. Kind of baffling as this is tech that many cheap american cars now have. In particular blind spot monitoring is a very worthwhile feature in my opinion. Oh forgot. Volt radio , even the high end Bose upgrade is not that good. Its OK but The BMW with the upgraded Harmon radio is great in comparison. Big beef. Charging port on the BMW is on the passenger side REAR of the car! So pretty much you need to back in to any parking space or your home if you want to charge. The volt is just in front of the drivers door. Perfect spot. Not sure I understand the logic of the rear charging door. But the BMW has a lighted charging port that changes colors. cool. Also BMW has super fast Tesla like DC charging built in at no extra cost. Now if only you can find a DC charging station. Someday. Some of the interior "eco" materials used on the BMW make it feel weird and cheap. It is recycled material but it looks like crap. Im sure the germans can figure out a way to make recycled material look nice and have a soft finish which would make the car even quieter. Cost. Volt is 10,000 cheaper for the loaded model. Thats a big difference. The volt in three years has been almost 100% trouble free. A very rare thing for a high tech car. i give GM very high kudos for building such a high quality car that has not needed to be in the shop. Summary? Im liking the much quieter ride and super power acceleration and better comfort of the Beemer. The unique styling can be a turn off for some but I think it grows on most people. Now lets see if it is as reliable and trouble free as the volt. I hope so. Ill report back after more driving.

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  Shockingly wunderbar! - 2015 BMW i3
  By Ted H - August 19 - 5:55 pm

  I have had my i3 for just one week and I am in love with it. I was impressed with the interior passenger space. More interior storage space would have been helpful. I moved into the i3 from a Chrysler Town and Country so the transition was difficult. But, the driving fun is worth the loss of cubicles. I have had no problems with the car and typically drive it about 60 miles a day. The Level 1 charger that came with the car is more than adequate to fill it up overnight. Living on the east coast, there are many charging stations nearby, most of them FREE! And, I didnt get the gas engine option because I wanted to just go plug-in. My one criticism would be the manual. It seems to be written in a computer translated English. I asked a friend from the UK about some of the terms and he couldnt identify them either. Further, the entertainment center has a handbook on-line but it should come with the car in print form. Have fun driving electrically!

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  Awsome vehicle! - 2015 BMW i3
  By Dianne Vanditmars - April 26 - 5:54 pm

  Used primarily as a daily drive to/from work, 48km each way. This leaves 15km - 40km at the end of the day. Level2 charger in the garage keeps the BMW i3 full. Off the line and even on the highway this is a very responsive car. The high seating position and very open design gives a great view of the road. Figure on saving about $2,500 per year due to 1/10th energy costs and 1/2 maintenance and service costs. A very practical and fun car to drive for me, makes the commute that much better.

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  Most efficient EV in the market - 2014 BMW i3
  By chchoi - January 31 - 12:03 pm

  i3 is the most efficient in current market. It is the lightest EV (thanks to CFRP). I can get 4mi/kWh easily. Battery is 22kwh, but only drive able with 19Wh. VW eGolf is nice, but you cant compare acceleration to an i3. MB B Class is just too heavy and it does not have DC FC option. In comfort mode, you can drive it as an ultimate driving machine. In Eco Pro or Eco Pro +, you can drive it with efficiency. You need to plan ahead for long trip. I have 1300 miles in a month and total cost to charge is $25. (There are some free charging stations). There is no gasoline Tax.

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  Driving a Spaceship - 2014 BMW i3
  By ashumack - January 7 - 10:50 am

  I have the base model without range extender, but this is my commuter car around the city with chargers on each end. Its not practical for a weekend trip outside the range unless you plan your travels in stages with 2+ hours in between for recharging, but I love this car for commuting to and from work (32 miles each way). Its a funky, awesome exterior and the interior build quality is eco-luxury. I love the carbon fiber details and the eco-leather on the seats. The accent lighting makes me feel like Im driving a spaceship. Also I love how BMW is really into the electric car movement by creating new manufacturing and technology to build them. Its not just a compliance car here!!!

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  Its a BMW and an EV! - 2014 BMW i3
  By scottlawson - January 4 - 1:04 am

  I have driven BMWs for 10+ years and this all-electric BMW lives up to the ultimate driving machine claim. It is sporty and solid and handles the road like my 328i. It is filled with high technology with a large screen for nav, music, apps, and information. The construction is solid and the carbon fiber and all-aluminum construction makes the car safe and rust-free. Bodywork is actually less costly than a steel car. This is not for long trips as the practical range in temperate weather is 80-90 miles. But get the DC fast charge option as that has helped me go 300+ miles at times.

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  1500 miles and 1.5 gallons of gas later - 2014 BMW i3
  By stillageek - September 11 - 8:23 pm

  I originally ordered a I3 BEV Terra. The plan was to keep our old Prius as my "airport car" (Im a pilot) and the I3 would be my fun car. I reran the numbers and decided to sell the Prius and get a Range Extender. I love it. My first BMW. Great driving experience. No range anxiety. Back seat is fine for 6 foot driver and rear passenger for around town (its a city car). Air conditioner battles Texas heat just fine. My power bill has gone up $60 a month, but thats for TWO electric cars (my wife has a Leaf). Theres no going back.

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  The Future is Here Today - 2014 BMW i3
  By brucebolen1 - August 6 - 10:15 pm

  Revolutionary from the ground up, sitting on top of a aluminum skateboard with batteries underneath in a carbon fiber passenger space capsule while seated in a Swedish living room and catapulted forward with instant, silent torque. Perfect size, design, airy, comfortable, quick, awesome turn-in, one-foot driving. Honestly thrilling. The proof of the pudding is in daily traffic (vs. a test drive on a freeway which is also awesome) when you wish to place yourself in a certain position and the car is already there by the time you think about it, and you made no fuss while not making a fool of yourself. Unique functionality, purposeful build to be an EV achieves mission perfectly.