The electric BMW i3 to be officially unveiled on July 29
On Monday, BMW got enthusiasts all jumpy with a 53-second teaser video, which looked more like a fashion ad than that for the highly anticipated electric i3. In the video, merely a silhouette of the car was shown. The ad, however, made a significant announcement that the production version of the i3 battery car will make its world debut on July 29 in Beijing.
The i3 concept first debuted at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. The production ready i3 will closely resemble the concept. The car though will be only slightly toned down and get restructured bumpers, shorter rear doors and all-new headlight and taillights assembly.The lithium-ion battery pack takes about 90 minutes to charge to its threshold.
Powering the BMW i3 will be a rear-mounted electric motor driving the rear wheels and a power range of 127kW or 170PS and 249Nm torque. The i3 will come in two versions - pure electric and electric with a range-extending engine. On a single charge, the i3 can go anywhere between 129kms and 161kms. With the range-extending twin-cylinder gasoline engine these figures can go up to 299kms.
BMW claims that the i3 can pull off a 0-100 dash in less than 8 seconds, which is not blisteringly fast but brisk enough for an electric car. Its performance will be enhanced owing to the lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced plastic used for its body.
The i3 goes on sale in Europe before the end of the year. Prices have not yet been revealed.