BMW i3s | Video Review | CarsIreland.ie

Published on 11 October, 2018

The BMW i3 has been given that special ingredient that every cult classic needs. A sports version.

Overview

Overview

The BMW i3 was a car ahead of its time in lots of ways. Unfortunately few could look past its unconventional styling to the cutting edge technology that lay underneath.

And so it became a sort of cult classic - fawned over by few but largely ignored by most as the headlines went to its flash hybrid brother the i8, and the vast majority of early adapters  opted for the much more conformative (and affordable) Nissan Leaf.

Fast forward a few years and the i3 is suddenly the cool one, as we finally start embracing this whole electric movement, and craving a bit more variety within it.

This latest version has been tweaked to give it a slightly more mainstream look, and its been given that all-important special ingredient that every cult classic needs. A sports version.

The exterior is not the only place this car will turn heads and the interior layout is also quirky, to say the least. However, it does come with a few practicality issues.
Those suicide style doors might look cool but they cause a few annoying issues. For example, if you want to let passengers in to the back, you'll have to open one of the front doors first. Once they do manage to get in, it's pretty tight. The lack of a third seatbelt (and space) make it strictly a four seater, and one best suited to kids at that. You’ll also need to be careful getting out because again you need to shut that back door first, unless you want some nasty damage to your front door - probably an important one to explain to kids. But again, it DOES look cool.

The boot is not particularly huge either. At 260 litres, it sits somewhere between a Volkswagen Up! and a Ford Fiesta.

All is forgiven however, when you sit in the front. It's a bit like finding yourself in one of those physics-defying Ikea showrooms where they’ve managed to squeeze tonnes of stuff in to a small space, yet it still feels spacious and airy, and very on-trend. It’s all made from recycled materials, and they really want you to know that too. The dashboard trim is made out of plant fibre, and the seats from neutronic cloth upholstery. A few flashes of blue around the place serves as a helpful reminder that the i3 is. Not like all those other cars.

The i3s comes impressively well equipped with all the mod cons you'd expect from a premium EV.  This includes the (fantastic) iDrive infotainment system shared with the standard BMW range, DAB digital radio, SatNav, 20 inch wheels, the 'S' bodykit and sports suspension.

You can also hook it up to the BMW Connected Car app which will allow you to access the vehicle remotely, see what charge you’ve got left, set journey departure reminders and remind yourself where you parked.

The real world range is about 200km. That's an average across a range of different driving situations, from urban to country and with or without aircon on etc. So you could get more if you do a lot of city driving, or less if you drive at high speeds for longer periods of time with no chance to claw back any energy through regenerative braking. But 200 is the average and that’s what you're likely to see on the clock after a full charge.
We all know the drill with electric cars now. The ideal situation is you’ve got a home charger  installed and can charge it up a couple of times a week or even every night depending on the length of your commute. You can then top it up at a public charger if the  opportunity arises, or if you are taking a longer distance journey.  As a result you can benefit from lower running costs such as no fuel costs, lower motor tax rates and some more recent incentives like half price toll fares. You also get to feel good about using a mode of transport that doesn’t emit any harmful CO2 into the air and doing your bit for the environment.

Cost-saving and eco warrior stuff aside though the BMW i3s is one of the few EVs that you might just buy just for the drive alone. It’s got a higher power output than the standard i3 at 184hp, which, in such a small car with such an immediate power uptake makes it feel like a tiny, silent rocket. The 0 – 100km an hour time is 6.9 seconds but in reality, it actually feels much quicker than that. In fact, so seamless is the power uptake, that you really have to be careful when you put the foot down because the lightest press of the throttle can see you pick up speed very easily without noticing. It's also guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

The handling is perfectly set up to suit the sporty character. The steering is tight, the suspension taut, and the i3s also gets a slightly wider track to give it a more solid stance on the road. The battery pack is located under the floor which gives it a low centre of gravity, which in turn makes it feel very nicely planted on a windy stretch. If you've never driven an electric car before, then this is the one to take for a test drive, because it will show you exactly what batteries are capable of.

It's not cheap, and that's probably not surprising. However it is well-built, clever and full of character. If your situation allows you to look past those slight practicality issues and you want something that's both fun to drive and kind to the environment - there's nothing else on the market quite like it.

Facts & Figures

Sinead McCann

Sinéad is our resident car tester who has the unenviable (-ok, slightly enviable) task of reviewing all the latest new cars to hit the market. You can follow her on Twitter @smcani and on Instagram @whatshedrives