I bought this very car 2 weeks ago on the way down to Dorset on holiday. Really good customer service and very friendly staff at Drive Green. Only just come across this video and surprised to see my car being reviewed. Amazing to drive and so pleased I took the step into owning an EV.
We’re driving both, an i3 and an i3s. Yes, the i3s is slightly quicker, slightly more stable (due to wider tires), slightly harder on the road and slightly hungrier when driven sporty. But the difference is marginal. Both are excellent cars, and it’s painful BMW wants to stop the production of this icon.
Agreed, the i3 should be able to evolve slowly over time. With Europe hemorrhaging for gas, BMW keeps pushing petrol cars. BMW instead should focus on extending the dismal range by upgrading their battery technology so the i3 could get 400 miles between charges. If this happened, on my side of the pond, the i3 would sell like hotcakes.
One of the big improvements with S is the new traction control system. It is 50x faster to respond than the base i3 and the first BMW to have the traction control calculations to happen right in the motor and not out at a separate controller. The traction control is seamless, you can hammer it in the rain and you are not feeling any intervention, or just the very slightest amount. Nothing remotely close to how the original i3 behaved.
Going to test drive a i3s tomorrow, currently driving a 2018 Audi Q2 S-line, but fell in love with this car after searching months for another electric options. Amazing video!
So I am one for a sporty car and this may not make much sense to you, but I’m currently torn between an i3s and a Porsche Taycan cross Turismo. Present we own a standard i3 with range extender, and contrary to your recommendation, our range extender has saved us many times. That said your comments around this option have caused me to think again. Turning to the Porsche Taycan, yes it’s a much much bigger car but they have dropped so much value that it’s a bargain buy. We live in Italy and have solar panels and a charging point at home. Our standard i3 looks lovely and consistently turns heads and triggers discussions amongst public onlookers ♥️🇮🇹
My wife has had a new i3s last month and it’s as you describe. It’s such a clever car . I know manufacturers are chucking out new electric models all the time but the beemer is so good even if the design is a few years old. I can’t help feeling when I drive it my petrol car feels so old school and I’m a petrol head through and through
The i3 range needs another battery bump to keep it competitive. 200miles/320km range is the new minimum. BTW the range extender option is still available in some markets with longer distances and fewer public chargers.
To appeal to people needing 200 miles plus we’d agree. However for a great deal of peoples use cases, the range is actually not an issue from our experience. Not that we would say no to a higher ranged i3 however 😉
No more battery upgrades, the REx handles any extended range needs in the USA. For those that want an electric BMW, this is it until the i4 arrives.. I don't think BMW expected the i3 to be competitive in the marketplace otherwise they would have simply did an electric variant of the 3 and 4 Series.
@@DriveGreen I would agree with David. I drive a 180 mile trip once every 2 months or so while the rest of the time I don't even travel 100miles a week. The i3 even in winter should get 140 miles so its still fine as I have a 7Kw charger at the destination and in less than 3 hours I have more than enough to get home again. Most of the time I charge maybe once a week from 40% to full overnight on a 13amp socket. It all works out just fine. I am seeing on average about 150 miles but with less heating I guess I could push it to around 160 in winter.
I couldn’t agree with you more 👍 I got my i3s in December 2020 I’m 5,000 miles in now and love every mile. It did come with AppleCarPlay as standard but still no Android Auto. I bought the camera and sensors but nothing else. I’ve made it my own with BimmerCode app adding rear daytime running lights, folding door mirrors with locking, default in sport mode, Rolls Royce chimes instead of Boings. etc. Oh and I’ve just purchased a private number plate. LLS I3S Update now 6,000 miles and I’ve swapped the registration number again.. ARD I3S
Sounds like some great customisations! Particularly the rear lights with daytime running, one of our guys done the same with their BMW, so many people rely on the auto lights these days and so often it is bright but reduced visibility and the car only shows the front drls. Can be a little dangerous.
I’ve watched this video so many times now - as well as informative, it’s a gorgeous i3s in a brilliant colour combination. So happy I’ve been able to pick the exact twin of this car up from you guys today! Many thanks Reece and Ed!
I just got Ine in this Color. Used a fishing Line to remove the chrome list on the back lid. Gives it a better look fast. Gonna blackout the grille soon and the blue ring around front and rear logo\emblem. Ast lowering springs going on in May when my guarantee Runs out :)
I bought mine back in October. Second hand with around 30 000 km. No Rex because I don’t need it. The car looks really nice (blue/black). I felt Sport mode was sufficient while I gave that Range Rover Sport a run for his money last week. I gonna change that small lcd display by a wider screen that I have found on aliexpress.
I just bought a 2014 i3 Rex and found your videos really helpful. One thing I agree with it this car is polarizing. I’m the only one in my family who likes it! Thanks for the great videos.
I bought a I3 Rex which was registered on 31 Mar 17 so missed all those tax implications and still has the reassurance of the back up if needed. However in two years I've used the Rex twice so I would 100% agree on buying the bigger battery BEV which is what I will do when I replace my Rex.
I am on my 2nd , love these cars . I had an 60ah first , it was great!! I now have an 94ah (both are non REX) It is everything the first car was but more, I don't know why everyone doesn't have one.
@@whocares264 what? the ride is pretty damn comfortable. have you ever even driven one? Also, says the guy with Tesla in his name haha. Dude, the 2018 model x i had was most definitely less value than the i3 i bought used. the x seemed to me like it would cost around 30k new from any other brand.
@@hazardeur I own a BMW I3 .... Yes the ride is poor, it handles fine but only on smooth roads, it suffer from bump steer even in a straight line... i also leased a tesla Model 3 which was superior in all respects, sadly i had to let the tesla go for financial reasons so i have to put up with the poorly equipped slow uncomfortable BMW...
Love my S. Looks much better than my previous “regular” i3. It’s subtle, but noticeable. And in the US, I love my REX, despite it getting used maybe twice a year.
This car is awesome I really hope they bring this back as the i2 as I suspect one reason they discontinued it was to make an electric 3 series some day
They make the i4 which is more traditional. I suspect that manufacturing cost and sticker price were too high to compete with more affordable and longer range selections currently available. Given all of that I just bought a very low mileage i3S 2 weeks ago and I have NO regrets .
In the US, the range extender is still an option. You also don’t have any federal surcharge or tax because of having the range extender or REx unit. I have an early 2014 REx and adore it!
I have always been a petrol head. when I saw I could get a fully loaded I3s for under £24K it was a no-brainer. I don't miss my gas-guzzling sports cars one bit. With a bit of free charging thrown in it is an incredibly cheap car to run. Running to work in 30 mph zones I am achieving 5.3 miles per kWh. This would give a range of 200 miles. To go with this it is as quick off of the line as a BMW M3 !
Great to hear you both made the move, and that you aren’t looking back! Having peteolheads make the switch is probably one of the biggest challenges in this space, but we find the i3 and i3S both offer some real driving thrill still along with all the other benefits. Huge congratulations on the transition! 🙂
I love everything about the i3. It’s so incredibly innovative and practical in its design and manufacturing process. It’s a shame it’s practically impossible to find one in America. That could push me towards an alternative from another brand, which to be fair may not necessarily be bad news as much of the competition has 100+ miles of additional electric range and even quicker performance.
@@DriveGreen The Volkswagen ID.4 and Hyundai Kona are easy to find on dealer lots. They both have about 100 additional miles of electric range compared to the i3s and surprisingly similar performance. I do prefer the i3s for its unique design and quirkiness, but I’m in a small niche. There are certainly better options available at a lower cost. Tesla as well of course, but they seem to be the most affected by production shortages due to incredibly high demand.
@@longlivetheclash It’s common in California for sure. I’d be like a kid in a candy shop at one of the California dealers that stock 10-20+ i3’s. However, inventory on the East Coast is incredibly limited and even production on a factory order isn’t guaranteed.
@@DriveGreen I managed to find one of the final 180 production slots! Unfortunately the i3 is being discontinued in North America next month, and possibly globally in 2022.
BMW i3s BEST CITY CAR ON EARTH GOING green is FUN 🌏💚 Brilliant and FUN I trayed the competition VW id3 Kia ev both bit good but we traided our 2018 33kw BMW i3 for a i3s 42kw it's great its much better than standard i3 also love the green construction too 😀👍😉 A A.W.D BMW i3M🤯 cool car #buzzofftoxic
The i3 was and is a great car; a great pity BMW haven't developed it over the intervening seven years instead of now playing catch-up and electrifying their clumsy-looking ice slabs. For us its just too compromised luggage wise - a slightly larger version on the same platform may have tempted us... great videos btw.
Ahh nice! One of our Sales team just got a new Ioniq actually and has been over the moon with it. We don’t hve any ID3’s in at the moment but if you did fancy test driving the Ioniq we would be very happy to have you down.
@@DriveGreen - thanks - we have tried an older model Ionic and we’re really impressed, but will go for a later model; it’s a toss-up between the two and will be a few weeks before we actually commit so we shall keep an eye on your stock, I think we would be very happy to do business with you.
Really cool and thorough review! I see you tested the Peugeot e-208. How do they compare. Peugeot has more range and 100kw charging and I3s is quicker, premium quality, less range and 50kw charging speed. I drive mainly short distance (a 175 mile trip maybe 1-2times a year) and can charge at work or in front of our flat. Looking for a second car to add to the large family ice car. I actually have cheaper leasing offers for the BMW which is the reason why I can't decide. I like nippy sporty cars. Your choice, thoughts? Can the bmw i3s keep up in 2021 from a technological / charging pout of view?
We adore both cars so it is a difficult one. However if you like the look of both and are getting better figures on the I3, it certainly is a car that meets your other criteria. Truth be told the i3 is probably our out and out favourite EV!
I want the I3S with a range extender...I don't believe we pay additional taxes with the range extender in the US. Ps. The I3S will justified my ownership of a 2010 V10 M6!
a man of culture. i own a vette myself and i always think it's such a schizo thing to do to have that car and on the other hand an I3 haha
2 года назад
I love how the acceleration behavior changes when you switch from comfort to sport. Unfortunately, that's the only thing that changes. I would have liked the steering to be smoother in Comfort mode and the chassis to be significantly softer, so that the car was just as noticeably more comfortable and easy to handle as the acceleration behavior changed. So the vehicle is always in "sport mode" and very hard, bumpy, stiff (when parking) and uncomfortable on the usually broken city streets. Too bad, BMW could have made more of it.
I own the normal I3 2022. I look a bit envious to more power of S Version. And better curve performance on quick rides. But on the other hand, suspension is more comftable. Yes....the S Version should have had adjustable suspension analog to the modes.
Have a 2021 i3s. Love it. Stormtrooper white and black with the diamond cut wheels, leather, Harmond Kardon sound and the most important blue seat belts. Worked for bmw in 2015 selling these iPerformance cars. Loved them then and still do. Gutted they didn't move the i3 on in terms of life and development. Who else this side of McLaren can say they have a carbon chassis? 🤔
I wish BMW would give it a slight facelift and then keep producing it. My wish list for it contains camera rear view mirrors like the Honda E. The BMW i3 is such a compact nimble vehicle and it’s a bit of a shame that such big and ungainly rear mirrors make it 35 centimeters wider than it needs to be (the 35 cm is purely my estimate, it might be more it might be less).
i have just purchased a BMW i3 REX 2018 £140 per year road tax ,,,, If you can put up with the terrible awful ride and road noise and bump steer , silly doors ,no opening rear windows , expensive, poor standard audio, this could be the car for you...
Thanks for commenting, it is slightly stiffer but the ride is nice and compliant. We would welcome you to the forecourt to try them both out side by side if you are in the market for either 🙂
Carbon fiber, natural material, yes... How to better it? Get a liquid piston engine instead of the Rex engine, that directly drives the wheels instead of operates as a generator. In usa the generator is necessary, so the i3s won't be released here. 170 miles range is barely enough to last through half a day doing Uber or a day doing doordash, or about half a week for normal people.
I think a simple turbo for the range extender would make it perfect. It would actualy increase the efficiency and power at the same time while not taking up too much more room and even making it quieter. win win win if you think about it. Only negatives would obviously be more failure points and a little bit more space being taken up and tiny bit of extra weight.
I had an i3 rex in 2015, then i3s in 2018. Both were great cars to have (lease). I did prefer the i3s. As mentioned I did lose a little range relative to the i3, but the car felt much more planted, less affected by wind/road conditions. Very noticeably so. Lovely and nippy to drive (Just replaced though for Model 3 which is a different level of performance)
The i3 should be able to evolve slowly over time. With Europe hemorrhaging for gas, BMW keeps pushing petrol cars. BMW instead should focus on extending the dismal range by upgrading their battery technology so the i3 could get 400 miles between charges. If this happened, on my side of the pond, the i3 would sell like hotcakes.
I enjoy my i3 on my daily commute, it makes the journey a joy and not a chaw. The problem for me is what have BMW been doing since the i3 was released, or rather not doing. We should now have an i4 and i5, but nothing! As we all know, putting a motor and batteries into a combustion design is a poor solution, so the 330e and iX3 are a complete compromise. BMW have been asleep at the wheel for a decade now, they will pay a huge price for this, like many, my next car is likely to be a Tesla.
It really depends. I have a 94ah size i3, live in New Hampshire and work in Boston, never have to use the Rex, and the car works great. I have travelled with it all over without any issues. Not sure why people in the USA think they need 1000 miles range when all the studies stated the average miles driven a day by Americans is no more that 40 miles. Besides, 99% of all people who buy this have a second car and is either ice or hybrid, or long range ev. The car works great for what it was intended to be, a city car.
I just don't get fast speed!.. how fast do you want to drive? 30 in a 20 zone , 40 in a 30 zone ,80 in a 70 zone ? ..if you want to drive fast get on a track! how about some thought for older people / kids crossing the road how about considering wild animals in the country side . It's just ridiculous to talk about how a car handles and how fast it can go :( ....The "real" beauty and importance of the BMW i3 is it's carbon footprint and efficiency!...Please don't use it as a racing car.
Trouble is bmw are ceasing production of this car which is a real shame it's far too expensive and obviously the demand is too low pity it's the 1st and best
@@DriveGreen agreed but why stop producing a vehicle which does what it says on the tin which is proven very well made etc the list goes on stopping production is a huge negative ev's are supposed to be about making sure we have vehicles that are none polluting why keep bringing new models out its totally against what the mantra is supposed to be which makes folk like me wonder if this ev stuff is just hype
I'm sorry but those rear doors were a real deal breaker for me. I did consider it when I changed to driving an BEV powered car but as I say those rear doors nah. Not for me
But what do you do or did when you drove a 2 door four seater car? In such cases, the driver and or front passenger must unbuckle and open their doors in order for rear passengers to get in and out. Same thing with the i3, but its a bet easier on the rear passengers..
