Turbo on TV - BMW i3, Tesla Model S, Renault Zoe, & Autolib

Last sunday, for once, I watched Turbo on M6, and last time I did so must have been years ago ... It is the kind of TV program always showing battles of Diesel against Diesel -we are in Europe and in France the "Diesel leader", which is a shame -, or hyper expensive sports car - you can only dream of, does not make me dream at all actually - 

But, this time they said thay would talk about Electric Cars: the New BMW i3 and the Tesla Model S, wow this is changing ...

So it starts with the BMW i3 - exclusivity - 

and this journalist says he choose to test drive the one with the range extender option - 5,000 EUR (!) - to make sure he would not get stranded with an empty battery pack ... it starts very well :-)

Right after, the main journalist, Dominique Chapatte, interview a French politician - representative - who drives a Renault Zoe and explains his fmaily road trip from Marseille to Bordeaux last summer, using only Renault dealers Charging Stations - Zoe can not charge on a regular 220V outlet ... yet - 

Then we got the Leipzig BMWi factory tout, quite interesting, mixed with the official BMW Youtube video, in my last post

Image from the launch commercial, shot in SF and LA

Later, they visit the Autolib Maintenance Center close to Paris

These wooden boxes on crates look like battery pack to me ... oops, do they have to change many of them ???

The number one damage to this Electric rental car

 - I skipt all the Diesel and Gas stuff, of course - 

Then, time for a Tesla Model S test drive :-) 

but before, some more BMW i3, interior, rear doors opening ...

and they go get the test drivers in Saint Germain en Laye, close to Paris, with their BMW of course

Their conclusion on the BMW i3: not bad but Electric Cars are kind of pricy - (!) of course if you add this 5,000 EUR option that will not be used ... it starts to get pricy: 28,000 EUR + 5,000 EUR -, oh well ... 

There it is :-)

First time for them, in an Electric Car too I think, from their remarks

They really enjoyed their Model S test drive and I think it changed their perception of Electric Cars in general, which is a god thing ...

BMW i3 - Test Drive, Tour, TV Show, and Production Video

Remember in August, BMW unveiled their i3 and I requested a Test Drive filling up their online form 

Well, in exactly one month, on November 14th, I should be behind the wheel of a newly built i3 at a BMW dealer; Check out their email received few minutes ago :    

Like the LEAF two years ago, the i3 will be on a Tour around France, starting in Paris, then going to Lyon, Strasbourg, Bordeaux and finally Marseille

Tomorrow, our "French Top Gear" Turbo will be focused on the BMW i3, with an exclusive in depth 30 minutes TV show :

http://www.turbo.fr/emission-turbo/440124-essai-bmw-i3-en-exclusivite-dimanche-dans-turbo.html

If you miss it there is a replay for a week I think, all French, but could be interesting, if they don't try to go from Paris to Lyon with it of course ... like other journalists did and shown on France this week with a Renault Zoe

Warning: Listening to this preview, Dominique Chapatte says he will also test drive the Tesla Model S, so I think I will definitely watch this one on sunday - for once, because I usually never do - 

Finally, at the bottom of this email, BMW gives a direct link to a video of the i3 production factory in Leipzig, Germany, started mid september: