BMW i3 - The Beginning to The End

[@christianvetter6316]

Owned once an Audi 2. A unique car and loved it. Bought an i3 new in 2022 and love it even more. The best car i ever owned. For me it is the best A2 that Audi never build😉Great Video, greetings to all i3 owners from Bavaria. Keep it…

[@thefleet]

Happy to be part of the i3 family! That’s great that you got one of the last ones made, with all the updates and improvements BMW added over the years. Hope it lasts you for a long time to come! 👍

[@tfleiter]

Best car for the city we ever had…and we had several Smart Fortwo. The I3 is astonishing stiff and quick - a real pleasure to drive and our sports cars do not get too many miles added since we got the BMW. It is outstanding efficient and still among the best after all these years. Too bad that BMW killed it - but we will keep ours as long as possible.

[@thefleet]

The i3 was so far ahead of its time for something that came out 10 years ago - agree that it’s a shame BMW killed it off and just now are refocusing on EVs. Fortunately it has only been out of production less than 2 years at this point and there were 250,000 made, so hopefully parts and service will be available for the foreseeable future for all of us holding on to these cars. Thanks for watching and commenting, truly appreciate it! 👍

[@SLJ2776]

@@thefleetdo you know how many of the i3S variant were made out of the 250k? I have one of the last to be made in the UK and will be hanging on to it.

[@thefleet]

@@SLJ2776 You should definitely hang on to it, already somewhat rare and getting rarer! 😄 So in terms of i3s models released, BMW hasn't released an i3s-specific breakdown, but... - Public sales data shows a higher volume of i3 sales earlier in the lifespan of the car. - The i3s was introduced around 2017-18, midway through the product cycle. - After speaking with many dealers, the i3s was never the volume seller, feedback from customers cited its higher price point and stiffer suspension as factors. - Based on the above factors and some additional data, an educated guess would be around 40-50,000 units out of 250,000, only about 15-20% of overall production. - On the secondary used market, i3s models make up about 15% of the available vehicles, with the majority being "regular" i3 cars. If you had a specific special trim of the i3s, you would definitely know the number produced. Here's some of the production numbers for those: i3s RoadStyle: 900 units i3s HomeRun: 20 units

[@SLJ2776]

@@thefleetthanks good info. I have the Interior World - Suite with i3s propack, fluid black

[@thomastrout9997]

My wife loves her i3 so much she purchased it when it came out of lease. We installed a fast charger but since retiring she only needs to charge once a week. Counting her previous leased Chevy Volts (2 for 3 years each ) and the i3 it has been 11 years since she last bought gas. That I do envy

[@thefleet]

It’s a great car, your wife chose well. Hopefully you get to drive it sometimes too! 😅

[@mrcorbel]

ok, say hello to your wife and congratulations

[@CarlosChaconCR]

Great video! Absolutely agreeding: the i3 is not for everyone. But after driving Toyota, Nissan, Audi, Peugeot, the i3 blows my mind! In terms of quality of the materials, design, comfort, speed and price for a used 2019. 😎

[@thefleet]

Glad you’re part of the i3 family! 😄

[@paoloquirici5975]

When I first saw the i3 in 2014 I was driving an Audi A2. I knew back then that I would have own a i3 in the future. Today (2023) I drive an i3s and love it. A special car for unique people, but also a unique car for special people. Must test drive it to realize it is not the usual deal.

[@thefleet]

Well said! I’d love an i3s in the future and definitely have my eyes open. 100% not for everyone, but those who can appreciate it for what it is and have their needs met by it will really enjoy owning one! 👍

[@zemmel63]

I drive this car since October 2019. It's an early model from 2014. I love it😍

[@kmusicmagazine]

Wonderful story of one of the most iconic cars in recent car history. Thanks for this!

[@thefleet]

Appreciate you stopping by and checking it out, thank you! 😄

[@kmusicmagazine]

@@thefleet Being a proud owner of a 2016 94Ah BEV model myself, I truly love your i3 content.

[@madaboutvoice]

LOL, all the haters of the looks of this car: the motor car as a fashion statement🙄🙄🙄 Jeez. Safety, sustainability, environmental credentials, comfort and space inside, functionality (fitness' for purpose), economy... are the criteria for cars, not the looks or speed or acceleration or, god forbid, the lack of bloody noise it makes!!! Cars are tools, people! Has anyone bought an electric drill based on looks, FFS??!

[@thefleet]

Looks are so subjective at the end of the day, I just hope that people can appreciate that BMW really went all out from an engineering perspective to make the best car they could. A lot of styling and material choices were made in service of that goal. In the past, I’ve been guilty of buying overpriced unreliable cars because they looked nice, but have come to appreciate things other than just the looks. That’s probably why I bought an E90 3 Series with the N54 engine that was 💩 while ignoring the i3 across the showroom. Now, I love the i3 and it gets the most use out of all the cars. Long story short, great points and I appreciate your comment! 👍

[@malcolmhedges7346]

We had one of these for 3 years, my wife was initially reticent but she quickly came to love it. Nippy, great turning circle. Traded it in for an ID.3, on paper a better car but far less character. If only they had continued to develop it with a slightly bigger battery and faster charging, but I don't think it made money and once the other cars came along they qualified for the EU EV targets and that was that. I can see myself buying a late 120ah one day though :)

[@thefleet]

Agree completely and in the same boat - would love to trade in a 60Ah with range extender for a BEV 120Ah when the prices come down a bit! Test drove an ID.4 and remember it being competent and okay, but lacking character. Ended up going with a Volvo XC40 Recharge because it seemed more fun and quirky, like the i3. 😄

[@malcolmhedges7346]

@@thefleet Yeah the ID.3 is more of a match size wise. Great turning circle, rubbish software ... but getting better. We have a Model 3 for the longer stuff so a good compliment for one another. New Mini might be a good replacement next year when that arrives, or the Renault 5 ... doubt you'll get that in the US but you might get the mini

[@thefleet]

Keeping a close eye on the new Mini EV, I think it’s a close spiritual successor to the i3 due to the size and BMW connection. Then again, used 120 Ah i3s models are dropping in price now… 🤔

[@shortwires]

Beautifully written and produced tribute to the bmw I3. Some of the videos segments used i have never seen else where. Well done sir!!!

[@thefleet]

Hey, really appreciate the feedback, and thanks for watching! A car that’s so unique deserves to have its story told. Could have made it much much longer, but not sure if there’s an appetite for that. 😅

[@shortwires]

@@thefleet I have owned three of them and looking to buy a fourth soon. Have read the book written about the car. I would watch a hour long documentary about the vehicle if it was made. So you have my vote and a new subscriber.

[@tonrotterdam]

Thank you for posting this, I don't remember seeing this before and having owned an i3 for over 4 years now and loving it to bits, after all these years of coming up with the design, speaks volumes about this designer.

[@thefleet]

I didn’t like the i3 when it first came out, but gained a deeper appreciation after learning more about it and buying a pre-owned one. One of my favorite cars, and so unique and ahead of its time! Thank you for watching and leaving a comment! 👍

[@maxlechuga]

Just traded in our Leaf for a 2017 proton blue i3 REX. Thank you for this video, it shows the hard work and big brain thinking that went into this car. Felt sad at the end seeing BMW go away from the i3 and be boring and conventional.

[@thefleet]

Enjoy your new i3! 👍

[@CardanoCastellano]

such a great video for a channel with only 135 subscribers...this was great, thanks a lot for sharing,.Images, sound, information, everything is great in this video, congrats!!!

[@thefleet]

Thanks for watching! 🙏

[@roberth.j.burema6845]

Nice video. We still love our i3 120 Ah 2019 model! BMW should have updated it. instead of stopping the production.........

[@thefleet]

Agreed - the updates were so good over the i3’s lifetime - double battery capacity like you have, Apple CarPlay, refreshed design, i3s model, etc. Was a super strong first generation product, would have really been interesting to see what they could do with 2023 technologies! Thank you for watching!

[@The-DO]

4:35 "Hello dog" was great! :)))

[@thefleet]

Thanks! Olive is the best, and loves riding in the i3! 🐶

[@eckhard8194]

I‘m happy to have an l3😊❤

[@thefleet]

You chose wisely - It’s a great car! 👍

[@andreasvoss4931]

Love my 2015 irex.... I drive it much more then the 528 and even our dream car a 645ci convertible.....if i could keep only one it would be the i3...

[@thefleet]

Wow, you are lucky to have 3 BMWs to choose from! Agreed - our dream car is a Z4 convertible, but the i3 is so special and fun to drive in different ways. It’s the one that gets used daily, 100%.

[@andreasvoss4931]

@@thefleet it was actually the 528 who got me into BMW's...I was an audi guy and still have a 2005 A6.....my 528 has now over 175k miles on it and i had never a big repair so far.....

[@glynjarvis5775]

Brought ours new in Jan 2015, still have it, almost 100k miles now….

[@thefleet]

Thanks for watching, and wow on the mileage! BEV or REx?

[@Jimages_uk]

I still intend buying a very late model i3s in the not too distant future, as my forever car (I'm getting on in years now). They were years ahead of their time, even today, and only let down a little by their range. For me, that is no longer important, I only do one or two long distance trips every year, and probably would enjoy the extended stops while charging. I'm lucky enough to have a drive and solar, so it will cost next to nothing to own. And finally, it looks like second hand values are falling to more realistic levels.

[@thefleet]

I think you have the right perspective and a good use case for the car. A late model would give you a ton of benefits from the car’s development, it got much better over the years and I would love to upgrade eventually as well. The i3 is definitely underappreciated and I’m always happen when owners and potential owners see it for what it is and can appreciate its many fine points while being realistic about its faults. Thanks for stopping by and appreciate your thoughtful commentary. Hope you get a nice i3s and enjoy it! 👍

[@rp9674]

I think the cornering is excellent. It would be great if someone did third party battery upgrade in future, either higher-capacity, or lighter weight, or both!

[@thefleet]

You know, I've been looking into this exact thing lately! Some places in Europe are figuring this out, and some i3 drivers have had their cars upgraded: - www.i3upgrade.cz/en/jaktofunguje.html - kzbin.info/www/bejne/e3mTY6aZrtd2l6c It would be so appealing to go from 60Ah to 94 or 120!

[@therealchayd]

+1 for the cornering, the low CG helps this a great deal and a higher capacity battery would be a great idea. Limited range was the main reason I retired my i3 from daily driving and got a Tesla (still keeping the i3 as it has future classic potential and it's still a fun drive)

[@belahatvany]

BMW management had, and maybe have, no longterm vision. I tried to buy an i3 in france. Tegen bmw Salesman deterred me! By brother has one and is very pleased with it.

[@thefleet]

That’s terrible! Heard stories about dealerships (including BMW) steering people away from electric cars because their service departments make a lot of money and EVs have less maintenance needs. “Parts and service work generates 60 to 80 percent of the gross profit that covers dealership expenses.” www.autonews.com/dealers/dealers-concerned-margins-will-shrink

[@marbiejay6184]

Beautifully done! This was such an eloquently informative video. My favorite I have watched so far🤍

[@tjs114]

The i3 was a great design except for those far too skinny tires. Yes, they improved mileage, but they are far too small for the weight of the vehicle so they have an incredibly short life and are fragile. And now that the i3 is discontinued, there is nothing to stopping Bridgestone ending production of the tires. Then what do i3 drivers do?

[@thefleet]

Was concerned with this as well since they’re unique to the i3. Hopefully with 250,000 cars built, Bridgestone keeps making the tire into the future. Just paid $1,000 for a set of the 20 inch tires with tax and installation, spendy considering the short lifespan. Great points you raised! 👍

[@CandycaneBeyond]

I love my 2014 i3 Rex. Owned it for over a year now. Just wish the tires lasted longer, or a choice of tires.

[@thefleet]

Agreed 100%! Some owners have been using Momo tires, they are way cheaper with acceptable results. Bridgestone Potenza S001 tires can also be found on special at Tire Rack, I picked up a set of rears for ~$90 a tire.

[@detoowang]

4:41 What is that cross beam you fitted to stop the bicycle from sliding forward? Looks perfect!

[@thefleet]

Hi, thanks for watching! It's the 50 inch Bushwhacker USA barrier, Made In Vietnam, LOL. Got it on Amazon and it fits the i3 perfectly to keep Olive and cargo in the back. Clearances are spot on and it works great.

[@detoowang]

@@thefleet wonderful! thanks for the reply

[@dannyvanzijl1975]

Bought one 3 weeks ago 17 i love it

[@thefleet]

Great choice with the bigger battery and more range! Does yours have the range extender as well?

[@KaKa-sq4in]

A great masterpiece

[@rikardekvall3433]

Nice review and history lesson! Sad that they ended the production. You have a dog and why no seat belt on the dog?

[@thefleet]

Thanks! Olive is in the back seat behind a barrier in a car seat when we go places, but gets to hang out in the front and be cute for the videos. 😅

[@rikardekvall3433]

@@thefleet Great! My dog hade her space in the back, behind a barrier and a cosy pillow. Safe. She loved the car ride. But my rear seatbelt mysteriously disappeared twice….

[@paddydaddyo]

04:48 that tire pressure is all over the place …

[@bastianfoelske1353]

Make one for i8!

[@thefleet]

I’ll see what I can do! More long-form content in the works as we speak. Thanks! 👍

[@cr21tor]

Best

[@Guitar6ty]

Clever design and sustainable materials making a strong but light weight car. BMW now has to work on a Hydrogen powered car and heavy vehicles. Toyota and JCB each have a Hydrogen car or heavy vehicle firmly in their sights as that is the future not batteries.

[@thefleet]

Another consideration would be the fueling infrastructure, and wondering if EVs are too far ahead at this point. In the US at least, almost all the hydrogen stations are in California. Drove a Toyota Mirai and it was awesome - combining an EV with the quick fueling and long range of ICE. It certainly has its merits!

[@richardfiennes3616]

You need to watch a video on Engineering Explained KZbin channel about the huge downsides to hydrogen cars. It is called: "Toyota Developed a Liquid Hydrogen Combustion Engine". Very informative....

[@markrowland1366]

That is misspelt. Wrecks. That is plural for being on the rocks.

[@IAmSoMuchBetterThanYou]

Shame it’s a rex, as that’s a cop out. The BEV is the better option

[@giddyup3451]

Hilarious that BMW made all of this story about sustainability but now i3s are getting thrown in the bin because they charge $6k for a single module that fails regularly. Price parts realistically so people can keep them on the road.

[@aliyawilson9652]

The wheels are not big, they are as thin as the width of your hand

[@furnmeza]

Tell your dog I said hi

[@thefleet]

She says hi and thanks for watching! 🐶

[@Jackolivierbo]

I am sorry but why did they make it so unappealing? I mean the look 😢… an ugly duck IM HO.

[@thefleet]

I think partly for aerodynamic reasons, and it’s so tall because the batteries are underneath the floor. I wasn’t a fan when it first came out either, but it’s grown on me. I think the newer generation of electric cars has gotten even better looking. Heck, even the new Toyota Prius even looks okay compared to all the uggo previous models. Thank you for watching, it means a lot. 👍

[@tfleiter]

You should try sitting in it…it is basically a mini SUV. I am 6 5ft and have absolutely no problems getting in and out or finding a comfortable sitting position…because the seats are relative upright and very adjustable. I don’t think it is ugly…just different,

[@shhs6127]

Nisan Leif, and Djuke is the ugliest cars ever... i3 is perfect.. different looking.. just what car is.. Cayenne is parked.. And i3 is everyday car.. Porsche cayenne is working horse.. to pull trailer, drive to vacations, mountain,.. 😂🎉🎉

[@namsmog]

An amazing car that nobody wants to buy

[@grobarcina9464]

This might be one of the ugliest cars I've seen in my life.

[@thefleet]

2:14 One vote for "hate it" then. 😆 To be fair, I felt the same way when I first saw it 10 years ago, but now own one, LOL