BMW i3 hatchback (2013-2022) - Electric motor, drive & performance
The BMW i3 is quick, handles well and is perfect around town
It may look like nothing else on the road, but the BMW i3 is an easy car to adapt to and its electric power system offers a few handy advantages – not least immediate 'shove' when you floor the accelerator. The i3's tall design comes in handy, too – its raised driving position makes it perfect for manoeuvring in city streets and, while the suspension can be a little bumpy, silently darting in and out of traffic is a simple and pleasurable experience.
The i3, with its special skinny tyres, doesn’t offer as much grip as a conventional BMW, but it's still lots of fun to drive, with traditionally playful rear-wheel-drive handling and accurate steering. Once under way, the i3’s regenerative-braking system (which slows the car when you take your foot off the accelerator) means you almost never have to put your foot on the brake pedal to bring it to a stop. This is a strange sensation at first, but you quickly get used to it.
The i3s goes a bit further to appeal to enthusiastic drivers, thanks to wider, grippier tyres and a greater distance between the rear wheels. This allows it to offer a more entertaining drive, at the slight expense of battery range. It doesn't ride as well as the standard model, however, and its weight and height mean the i3s doesn’t quite convince as an alternative hot hatch.
BMW i3 electric motor
Performance is something the i3 is not short of – the electric version can get from 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds, which is 3.3 seconds quicker than a Toyota Prius. In fact, the i3 feels even quicker than the figures suggest, because the electric motor's full power is available instantly at any speed. The lack of engine noise also makes briskly accelerating a strangely satisfying experience. The i3s brings 0-62mph down to 6.9 seconds, further amplifying the experience.
The i3 allows you to drive using the accelerator alone – the regenerative braking force of the electric motor slows you down when you lift your foot off the pedal in much the same way as Nissan's e-Pedal system. It takes some getting used to, but can make driving quite relaxing.
