A Car in Harmony with Nature

Connecting New York, London, and Beijing, BMW's first mass-produced electric vehicle, theBMW i3was finally revealed.



First, let's look at the exterior, with its camouflage completely removed. According to BMW, it has two major features.



One is the black line, known as the "black belt," that runs from the bonnet, over the roof, and to the hatch gate. The other is the unique body-side silhouette, called "stream flow," with its enlarged rear passenger windows.



The body, primarily constructed from carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), aluminum, and plastic, utilizes a high proportion of recycled materials throughout its lifecycle, from manufacturing to dismantling, minimizing environmental impact. The color can be chosen from four metallic or two solid options, all designed to create a striking contrast with the aforementioned black belt. Accent lines on the kidney grille and side skirts come in BMW i's signature blue or a frozen metallic grey.




The interior prominently features natural materials such as leather, wood, and wool, with dyes derived from sources like olive leaves. To enhance rear passenger space, the front seats have thin seatbacks, and the driving position is slightly more upright. A large column lever consolidates numerous functions, including the start button and drive mode selector.

In addition to the standard "Atelier" interior, three optional packages are available: "Loft," "Lodge," and "Suite."

features and performanceAs we've already reported on its features and performance, another characteristic of the i3 is that it's the first electric vehicle to incorporate a SIM card, operating entirely on the premise of network connectivity. While the rollout of such features in European and American cars has been challenging in Japan, it will be interesting to see how it is implemented here.

Other specifications announced today are as follows. The price is 34,950 euros (approximately 4.6 million yen).


BMW i3 | BMW i3
Body Dimensions | Length 3,999 x Width 1,775 x Height 1,578 mm
Wheelbase | 2,570 mm
Minimum Ground Clearance | 140 mm
Minimum Turning Radius | 4.93 meters
Trunk Capacity | 260-1,100 liters
Weight | 1,195 kg (1,315 kg)
Maximum Output | 125 kW (170 hp)
Maximum Torque | 250 Nm
Drivetrain | RR
Tires | 155/70R19 (Front 155/70R19, Rear 175/65R19)
0-100 km/h Acceleration | 7.2 seconds (7.9 seconds)
Maximum Speed | 150 km/h
*Figures in parentheses are for the range extender model.