The German premium flagship has found itself at the epicenter of a real consumer tornado, which literally blew up the plans of marketers. The wave of interest in the all-electric BMW i3 sedan turned out to be so powerful that the Bavarians had no choice but to lift the curtain and start accepting deposits ahead of schedule. The fastest enthusiasts who hurry to secure the car will have the privilege of getting their hands on the exclusive First Edition series, distinguished by rich standard equipment, unique stylistic details and additional software treats. However, entering this new technological era requires a serious financial backbone – on its native soil in Germany, the price of the luxury vehicle starts at a “modest” 75,340 euros.
The new “three” throws down the gauntlet to the competition with a radically changed silhouette and avant-garde design, strongly influenced by the recently updated iX3 - a vision that has been the most discussed topic in automotive circles for months. The strategists from Munich took an extremely bold, bordering on gambling, move and decided to bring the electric modification to the forefront first. The production capacities at the brand's main plant will be loaded at full speed as early as August this year, while the conventional versions with traditional internal combustion engines have been left in the background for a later stage.
The parameters of the declassified top version i3 50 xDrive, on which the limited edition First Edition is also built, clearly show why so much fuss has been made. The machine is based on an advanced 800-volt architecture, with the huge 108.7 kWh battery structurally integrated directly into the body for lower roadholding. The Bavarian sports car promises a range of a staggering 906 kilometers on a single charge in the realistic WLTP cycle, and when the energy does run out, the super-powerful 400-kilowatt charging station can get the car back in the game in a matter of minutes. The drive is entrusted to two electric motors with a combined output of 469 hp and a huge torque of 645 Nm, which launch the Bavarian jewel from a standstill to 100 km/h in just 4.7 seconds.