The i3,BMW electric car Revealed

 BMW believes that the i3 electric car is a revolutionary vehicle, set to change the world of urban transportation. Now unveiled in production form, the i3 starts at a base price of $42,275 and is set to go on sale in North America next spring.

What really sets the i3 apart, according to Jacob Harb, BMW North America's Head of Electric Vehicle Operations and Strategy, is the way it drives. "There were a lot of MP3 players before the iPod," Harb says, "The i3 is like that for electric cars." Besides the low center of gravity provided by mounting the battery pack close to the ground, the i3 also has a 50:50 front–rear weight distribution. And unlike most electric cars, the i3 is powered by the rear wheels.

For BMW's sake, we hope Harb
is right about the i3's potential. Otherwise, it's easy to dismiss this as another electric car that goes up to 100 miles on a charge, only this time it costs $12,625 more than a Nissan Leaf. But the extra cost isn't just a premium for the twin-kidney grille—which, in this instance, is purely a styling exercise. No, what makes the i3 special it that it's the first affordable, mass-produced car made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic. Carbon fiber is what helps the i3 achieve a curb weight below 2800 pounds, about 200 pounds less than a Ford Focus. That alone gives Harb's claim some merit.

Conceptually, the i3 is built as two separate pieces. The drive module contains the 22-kilowatt-hour battery pack, the 170-hp electric motor, and all the related components in an aluminum space frame structure. The passenger cell, which uses a carbon-fiber structure, sits on top of the flat floor created by the drive module. All the exterior body panels are made of plastic to resist dents and allow for easy replacement in repair.

We're just going to say it: The i3 looks kind of goofy. But the design is not without merit. The flat floor and tall roof make for a comfortable, chair-like seating position. And the large greenhouse means great visibility. Clamshell doors haven't been popular in the U.S.—see the Saturn Ion and Mazda RX-8—but BMW says the arrangement makes it easier to climb into the second row or access a child seat.

As part of the "sustainable" theme of the i3, the cabin is littered (no pun intended) with recycled and eco-friendly materials. Cloth seats are made using recycled PET, the same stuff that makes plastic bottles and fleece jackets. The dash and part of the door are made from kenaf fiber. And BMW says that 25 percent of the interior and exterior plastics are made from recycled materials.

When the battery pack runs down, an onboard 7.2-kilowatt charger will pull in enough juice for a full charge in about 3 hours—on 220-volt power. A DC fast-charge option allows for an 80 percent fill in 20 minutes. A 110-volt charger is included, but BMW says it really should be used only for topping off the charge or when no other power source is available.