My E-Life Now !: I Test Drove the New BMW i3

Today, during lunch break, I headed straight from work to the Parly 2 Mall in Versailles, 10km away; I knew that the First stop of the BMWi i3 Tour was here, and wanted to take advantage of it and test drive this new promising EV

I did not know where it was, but after looking around the mall, I finally found them ! and registered directly for a test drive, almost right away

After a short introduction to this very new kind of vehicle for BMW, we are taken by small groups of two to the i3 s waiting outside in the lower level parking

Orange, White, Black, we have all kinds of colors here ...

In the meantime, I realized that two technicians are working on setting up Charging Stations (!) from 3-phase AC power cables, coming from this huge cable along the concrete column

It looks like they are EVlink Charging Stations, brand new, out of the box

I heard later that they will be used to recharge the i3 during this 2 days tour

Now let's go for a ride

Here is our i3

Small trunk, Turbo journalist was right

I get to drive first ...

Foot on the brake ...

and Press Start

The car handles very well, acceleration is great and I think it is better than the LEAF, it can, because there is more power - 130kW ! vs 80kW for the LEAF - and less weight ... a lot less, with almost 300kg gone ! This is a big +1 here for BMWi and their Carbon Fiber work ! - 1,200kg vs 1,500kg for the LEAF -

Like a Model S, as soon as you lift your foot from the accelerator, you get full regen and the car slow down quickly - even brakes - and you can get to a complete stop at the red light this way for example.
I do not really like this, but, with a little practice, it is OK, and can be nice to control the whole car with one pedal only - from the BMW person with us, this can not be adjusted, like it can on a Model S, but could be I guess, it is just a variable value in a program -

Seating high, much higher than in the LEAF, noise cancellation has been well done, but maybe not as good as in the LEAF - I can compare after 2 years now - especially on rough street pavement in the rear seats

Drivers' swap and time for my best shot of the i3 yet, even if I cut the back of it ... oh well

I get to go behind now, and got in without moving this front seat, just using the rear door opening; I then was told this lever, in the head rest, can be pulled to fold & slide forward the front seat for easier access

Nice Split Moon roof - probably another expensive option of this full options demo car -

I could at last film a little bit

There is decent leg room in the back

Square rear windows

The dashboard is very cool I think, but no touch screen here, all is controlled by BMW's round button / joystick

Front armrest and some cup holders under it

and it is the end of the test drive

back up camera ... I know this one ;-)

i3 from an i3

At my request, our BMW host popped the Charge Port open to let me see the type of plug to be used: Type 2 / Mennekes, the European Standard

Now back to work with my LEAF and this little souvenir on the passenger seat ...

Conclusion: this New - Carbon - Electric Car is going to be a hit I think :-) Very Good Job from BMWi !

...

Later at night, on my way back from work, I went there again to see the Charging Stations and realized all the cars were parked there doing nothing