A Brief History | BMW i3

The BMW i3 is an iconic EV. First sold in 2013 the little city car has been adored by its owners. I take a look back at how the i3 evolved and some of the hurdles it needed to overcome.
This is the second in the series of 'A Short History' videos. The first one looked at the Renault Zoe. This series is a spin off of my usual videos which cover all things electric vehicle.
Credit for their assistance in putting together this video to -
BMW i
Rivista Automobilismo
BMW Club - RT
Technologic Vehicles
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[@dleasman]

I love my i3... I have had it for many years, and it now has 30k miles on it, and it is still working flawlessly.

[@juiliopi4740]

The I3 is still adored by its owners! I own a 2020 I3s and this car is the best driving experience ever! Use it for city and around city use, perfect. And with the free chargers station, I drive for......free!

[@SirPablo2Pablo]

Just brought an i3s. First EV and took the leap away from a large muscle car V8 ICE. i3s is fun and with Fuel prices the most expensive they have ever been (June 2022) it is making sense for me.

[@parsnips800]

Fantastic video,very interesting. I love the I3 for it's looks. Even in 2019 it still turns heads.

[@EVOpinion]

parsnips it’s a great car and I loved researching the history of it. It just goes to show how much goes into developing a new vehicle.

[@brberis]

Even in 2022! I bet for collectible car in the near future.

[@BHBeckenbauer]

The i3 was launched with only one battery size, which was later upgraded

[@acvelo5963]

Thank you for this informative video - I love my 2017 BMW i3!

[@munirshafi2647]

Brilliant and very informative video...Thank you.

[@kyliefan7]

This is my 2nd time watching this....thank you for such a well done job with this! Very interesting all the different EVs that BMW has tried throughout the years...I just wish the concept made it to the showrooms! Thanks!

[@jonathanmeazza427]

Really good watch, thanks Ryan.

[@gianvisentin1232]

Well, is an old video and it was a little optimistic in certain things. I am in my 2nd i3 now, and love it to bits! Best cars I have ever owned. It has come to that time where bmw has decided to stop production of the i3. Sadly as not mentioned in this video, bmw’s view of electric cars changed sometime after this car was launch with the change of management, and it derailed pretty hard. There is no replacement to the i3 in site, and the new bmw i models, being good as they are, are pretty far of a departure from the i3 technological advances. It more like a step back in regards to manufacturing. Yes they have better technology but they are ice cars converted to electric. And the ix suv, well is a great car but it’s not designed for the same people that bought the i3’s, not a city car, it’s an expensive vehicle. Anyways, I think this car will eventually become a classic. For us owners it’s a good thing. Will always be a unique, far ahead of its time vehicle designed and created to be as out of the box thinking as possible. And that’s why it will always be loved by its owners.

[@Peter8Roberts]

Great video. You are getting really good at this :-)

[@bill_poth]

Just helped my grandparents buy a second hand 2017 94ah one, they seem very pleased with it. Very interesting video 👍🏼

[@AndyJHiscock]

Great historic video. Keep them coming!

[@EVOpinion]

Thank you and will do 👍

[@jontait2843]

Great video!

[@REV-EV]

Great video, one of your best.

[@EVOpinion]

Graeme Cobb thank you 😁👍

[@stephenshannon3706]

Another terrific video Ryan. Well done. I think this is a Marmite car that people either love or hate. I think it's a brilliant car. You added a lot of interest by looking at its development. After 3,500 miles our REX version still has approx half a tank of petrol, almost the same as it had in January. We have not added any petrol in that time, but having the REX does allay range anxiety. Really appreciate your videos, keep up the good work.

[@kardy12]

Fascinating history, I didn’t known of the history of BMWs electric cars before the e-Mini and the i3.

[@EVOpinion]

kardy12 it really is. I throughly enjoyed researching BMW. It’s amazing how far ahead they were looking 👍

[@ConstantijnKool]

Great vid 👌🏻

[@philipmalaby8172]

Well done.

[@SKraus-pb1ii]

Great video tnx

[@diazjr1975]

We love our i3. Ready for our 2nd one!

[@tfleiter]

Too bad they stopped the production! We got a used one - fantastic…especially in times of exploding fuel prices. Our favorite car to drive around in town. It is just convenient to jump in and go. Still a “V8” killer taking off from a light - which is still shocking for many. The Tesla’s are not even close to the solid quality feel you get in this thing. Kind of a “no-nonsense” car - which is rare these days and very enjoyable! BMW made a mistake to drop the city car concept. Their current EVs are “monsters” compared to the I3.

[@GerardL]

In 2013 only the 22kWh model was available. The 34kWh model did not arrive until 2016. Other than that I enjoyed you video!

[@craigcodling481]

Great video.

[@EVOpinion]

Craig Codling thank you 😁👍

[@ou6037]

Superb car

[@ianlove3]

Great video

[@EVOpinion]

Thank you 😁👍

[@coupemusic1]

Interesting. We've got the newer 120 full electric that will do just over 200 miles on a charge. Brilliant car!

[@Danne89]

Love my 2019 BMW i3S 120Ah!

[@cedarcanoe]

The Range EXtender (REX) actually is a Chinese engine made by Kymco. No wonder that didn’t make the headlines in the i3 marketing campaign.

[@matneu27]

Well made and interesting facts I ve not know before. The separation of the cabin and the chassis was used long before BMW by the early beetle. Depending on that fact other manufacturers sold kits like the beach buggy where you can mount on the beetle platform.

[@EVOpinion]

Of course, I had forgotten about that. It also seems to be the future. The likes of Nissan will use the base of the 2018 Leaf for other EVs. Funny how things go full circle!

[@richardpiper4828]

Great video of a great little car. It will be a sad day when production comes to an end as it does seem that it’s replacement is likely to be a EV variant of a mainstream BMW model. Just too iconic and probably too unusual and expensive to produce for the BMW bean counters.

[@kevingest5452]

I have and love an i3, it makes a perfect companion with my model 3 and the solar panels i am getting installed on my roof as the second car in my non-fossil-fuel powered transportation strategy for around-town commutes when my wife and I both need a car. It was worth every penny of the $17k I paid for a used one. That being said. I only have an i3 because i can't afford a second Tesla.

[@MILKYBAR1969]

We own a BMW i3 we've had it since September last year 2017 we have done 16000 miles up until now it is range extender version I have put £17 worth of fuel in it and it is a full tank at the moment the car had a full tank of petrol when we received it. Personally I don't think the car will be going anywhere soon as in being discontinued because I think the BMW I3 was about 15 years I heard of anything else when it was released yes I believe that it could do with a bigger battery so that there would be less likely to need the Rex but personally I don't think it will get a bigger battery because of the cost of more batteries vs a range extender. We do approximately 98 miles a day to and from work and only on the worst days of winter did we need the range extender and the £17 worth of petrol usage it's been a fantastic car and the only problem we had is one screw in one tyre

[@EVOpinion]

Michael rigby the reason I think it might be going is because they keep talking about electrifying the 1 and 3 series. It would be sad if it did as I think it still looks modern.

[@ScrapKing73]

Recently BMW confirmed yet another battery refresh for the i3 is on the pipeline, which will make the third battery refresh for this e-car. :-)

[@captainthruster9484]

They have discontinued it, due to the fact everybody buys a used leased vehicle with a third of the price and 20kish miles in my opinion

[@MILKYBAR1969]

@@captainthruster9484 would you like to reconsider your statement about it been discontinued?

[@d3c888]

Quality

[@videogalore]

Great video! They are now on their 3rd generation, the i3S. It would also be worth noting the 50% increase in the battery pack from the 1st to the 2nd generations! I am biased, I've been driving one for nearly 2 years now and it's an amazing car! My 2 year old daughter doesn't know what a petrol station is! :)

[@gregandkaruna6674]

videogalore And you will lose weight not calling into the service stations, no more soggy pies and junk food! And the smell of that toxic petrol while filling the car? Ah the good old days of poisoning oneself lol

[@videogalore]

I find it funny how one of the common misconceptions is that you have to wait for it to charge, but actually I think about all the time that I used to spend waiting for a pump to fill a tank and then going to pay for it..........I think the concern is the wrong way around! :)

[@baarg8672]

the only bmw model that really fits in my vision of future transportation... i d prefer hybrid pair with hydrogen engine that could fillup in a minutes and give you extra range when its needed

[@dplummer35]

I wasn't aware that the i3 was available as a 22kwh or 33kwh version at launch? Great video by the way, and well edited - thanks.

[@EVOpinion]

D Plummer thank you 👍

[@mattetjus]

it wasn't; it was available with a 22kWh battery as a pure EV or as "REX" (range extender/series hybrid). in 2016 they updated the battery for the 33kWh version (both battery sizes were available in parallel for a few months) 2018 saw the introduction of the i3S (+14PS, improved (software) handelling, widened, lowered); as of November 2018, they are now sold in most markets with a 42kWh battery and the REX is more or less gone.

[@dr-k1667]

Some of the facts in this video made my jaw drop. Electric BMW's were a thing as far back as 87! While I knew about the materials of the interior and it's sustainability, it still feel a bit frustrated with them that their range extender idea was to not improve or increase the battery, but to still make you go to a fuel pump! They will be remembered in history, but I wonder if it will be viewed as positively when you look at how long they had been developing this tech, only to put out a car (yes I know a city car only) that didn't give you real world range of at least 110-150 in all weathers. Loved the video!! You did very well, keep up the great work.

[@EVOpinion]

D R-K thank you 😁👍

[@imho7250]

D R-K, the range extender version only held less than 2.5 gallons. I use to keep more than that at home for my lawnmower. LOL. But if they really wanted you to buy gas they would use a bigger gas tank and the Rex would be standard equipment.

[@gregandkaruna6674]

D R-K EV motors are simple tech but the battery tech was not good enough then. It's only since Lithium came to market developed by scientists not Tesla and improved enough to be good enough for car use that BMW and others cars can now use.

[@imho7250]

Gregory Bell, I saw a clip of the cofounder of AC Propulsion, who partnered with and Ex-GM engineer to make the Tzero, back when it was still using leaf acid batteries, saying the EV is not for long distance travel and never will be. Of course he should have added “until better battery tech is developed.” Even when Martin Eberhard made a battery from 18650 cells for the Tzero, which is the father of the Tesla Roadster, EVs still weren’t a viable long distance transportation for the masses, and I can still say that no new Tesla is priced for the masses, and no EV is priced to let the working class get to work all week and drive long distance on the weekend. I think most manufacturers are still waiting for a battery that can deliver sufficient range per dollar. You can fill a $200 fuel tank with enough gas @$4/gallon to drive a 25 mpg car 56,000 miles. If you use a car for the masses which gets 40 mph, then just to pay the $9000 so Model 3 can have the range of a Toyota Corolla, you can drive the Toyota 90,000 miles. But when manufacturers can sell a battery for $100/kWh, at a profit, that lasts 200,000 miles, some of the working class can afford the luxury of an EV. As it all, all the EVs have to pretend they belong in a luxury class that they don’t really belong too, because the math doesn’t work out if you use a car of equal build quality that was intended to be cheap to own, such as most Japanese cars.

[@ZOA360]

Nice video, I like hearing the history of the EV, can you do one on the Chevy Volt?

[@stevenbarrett7648]

Ted Green he could if we ever get them in Great Britain!

[@EVOpinion]

Ted Green I’d love too and could probably put something together but I have never actually seen one so might be a bit false. If I get to the states anytime soon perhaps I can get one as a rental and then I’d really know what we are missing out on over here ☹️

[@markjohnson8260]

Isn't it in Europe as Opel Ampera, or Holden something?

[@kyliefan7]

OMG! My bf and I laughed out loud when you said reassured it will be expensive!! That was a really good one!

[@simonroe9406]

Great video 2017 EV BMW i3 owner :)

[@EVOpinion]

Simon Roe thank you 👍

[@gregandkaruna6674]

But it's kind of ugly, however I think our 2014 Leaf is dam ugly too! Although I do love that BMW did released it. And Asian people love that type of car. My wife who is Thai loves that Nissan Cube she calls it a "cartoon" car :-) I call it nuts!

[@williamrennie]

Another excellent and well researched short video. I have always been a big fan of the i3 however; it’s a car that you either like the look of it or you don’t. I would have one as my primary car tomorrow if only I could talk my wife into it. She is of the opinion that it looks ugly. I on the other hand only see the beauty in its simplicity.

[@EVOpinion]

William Rennie definitely a marmite car 🤔

[@djgate]

Just like people there is more to the car than looks, guess we know who wears the pants here!

[@courcheval]

it s a nice car, i prolly would have bought the rex version had they produced a convertible version.

[@jasondavis545]

Love the information you managed to find and how they developed their electric concepts and being pioneers in a slightly reserved way.👍🏻 I wonder now if BMW are taking into account now the carbon footprint from shipping raw materials and produced goods around the globe whether it be by road,rail,cargo vessel or heaven for by plane! After seeing the pollution particulates for the UK, with Gibraltar coming 3rd worst place in the UK for pollution due to the shipping going through the straits of Gib, it just makes us all think! 🤔

[@Sofala]

The E1 looks very familiar.

[@dleasman]

Informative video. I still have questions about the fuel tank size. The tanks were not smaller for the US, but software restricted so it could only use 1.9 gallons of the 2.4 gallon tank (or 9litre tank). You mentioned that this restriction was eliminated? Does this mean that BMW is unlocking that last .5 gallons, and allowing the 650cc generator to be enabled at 75% battery instead of 6%? You had mentioned this could be another video... Are you planning this video?

[@albu5137]

what i have heard as a reason for it was that it had to be able to go further on electric than on petrol, therefore it was solved when the larger battery came i 2016/2017. Not sure but it sounds plausible?

[@bbbf09]

Somewhere between 2012 olympics showroom and the 2013 launch the look definitely devolved into something that is hard to love. And I speak as an i3 owner.

[@edwyncorteen1527]

Last year I was looking through an old (2003) National Geographic where a thinly disguised 5 series BMW was boasting that it would soon be powered using Hydrogen and a fuel cell, I wonder what happened to that!

[@EVOpinion]

Edwyn Corteen mmmm 🤔 some research perhaps 😁👍

[@ljohannesl]

They made a few cars with a hydrogen combustion engine (H2R and Hydrogen 7), but I haven’t heard about ones with fuel cell.

[@edcook1569]

I still have an i3. It needs a bigger battery otherwise I like this car.

[@gregandkaruna6674]

Be careful Tesla nuts will not like this video as they believe the Tesla made the first production EV car although to be fair it was the first decent range EV. But at a high price :-)

[@kardy12]

What was the point of adding pejorative comments about something that isn’t even mentioned in the video?

[@Sofala]

I'm very tempted by the i3, the reliability worries me though. Searching the internet you only ever seem to find tons of negative comments.

[@MILKYBAR1969]

Sofala don't believe everything you read on the internet go take a test drive most problems with early cars have now being ironed out

[@Sofala]

Thanks for the reply. I can't afford new but there are some good prices for 1 year old models.

[@Knein1967]

You can get really good deals on a used i3. If you are worried about reliability, avoid the REX version as they tend to have more issues. The BEV is pretty much problem free. (I do own a 2014 BEV version)

[@MILKYBAR1969]

When I bought new last year (june) it was cheaper to buy new then a usèd 94ah one

[@gregandkaruna6674]

Sofala Its had a few facelifts, probably best to avoid the first year of production, which is the same with any brand including that brand that I cannot say as the cult will cast me down lol

[@stevewalsh-balshaw1727]

Best ev butttt way too expensive needs to be 21k in uk rather than 35k

[@beforebefore]

6:08 "plastic reinforced carbon fiber".... whaaat? you don't reinforce a superior strong material with plastic... CFRP... Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic

[@peterf1]

Underestimated car. While cars from Porsche, Ferrari even Tesla show that electric cars can be 'exciting', this car showed that a daily driver electric car can be a desirable product all by itself, not just because it's either 'clean' or 'practical.'

[@jmwSeattle]

A Tesla analyst thinks the hybrid is the worst of two possible worlds. I always thought the hybrid was a great idea until I heard his criticism. The hybrid is a poor marriage of both an inferior ICE engine an inferior electric motor, according to his perspective. I wonder where you might stand on this matter? Have you heard this argument before? Maybe his opinion is just an outlier, possibility prejudicial.

[@EVOpinion]

jmwSeattle personally I wouldn’t buy a hybrid but I do understand for some people they work and for others it’s a comfort blanket. I’m not precious about people changing to BEVs and however they get there is fine by me. In my mind EVs are the future we just all need to find our own route there 😁👍

[@jmwSeattle]

Gregory Bell My friend who owns a body shop made a round trip in a Prius from Seattle to the Texas border with Mexico and loved it...both fast and good mileage’s per gallon. A mutual acquaintance getting up there in years who has owned many airplanes since a teenager buys a new Prius every year. The man has a lot of money and could have anything he liked.

[@videogalore]

Just to be a pedant, the engine option on the i3 is classed as a 'Range Extender' and not a 'Hybrid' as the engine never powers the wheels. This means it can be far smaller and in the case of the i3 it's 600cc. It's certainly more complicated than the battery only version, but for us it is our only car and we need to take longer trips on the odd occasion so it made sense to have a back up. Here in the UK the charging network is limited in some places so the idea of getting stuck with no power and a baby was not on our to-do list! :)

[@gregandkaruna6674]

videogalore Yeah that makes sense, a lot less complicated as being just a generator less moving parts, no ICE drive chain, but unfortunately it's still an ICE so still needs regular servicing, oil changes, spark plugs, filters and fuel and have to use that fuel from time to time.

[@videogalore]

I've spent £6 on petrol in almost 2 years. The i3 pressurises the fuel tank as they know that it could be in there for a while. It also has an automated maintenance cycle that kicks in about every 3 months if it sees that you've not used the engine in that time. It's done less run time than most peoples lawn mowers after a few sessions! :)