Category Archives: BMW

News and reviews of BMW electric cars (including plug-in hybrids).

2016 BMW 330e

September 6, 2016330e PHEV, BMW, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentTrevor Larkum

The plug-in sports sedan for the modern age.

A dip in the Toyota Prius pool might elevate your state of environmentally responsible bliss, but surely you’d miss the driving joy that hybrids sacrifice to trim their CO2 footprints. Good news: Salvation has arrived in the form of a plug-in-hybrid sedan that’s actually fun to drive. The 2016 BMW 330e sedan tested here exploits lessons learned from BMW’s i3 and i8 models (now part of the iPerformance sub-brand, along with plug-in-hybrid versions of the standard cars) to resolve the classic rub between low consumption and high performance.

This green edition of the world’s bestselling luxury sedan is expensive, with a starting price of $44,695, but it’s sure to be a hit with those interested in saving the planet without resorting to public transit.

The powertrain components are a 180-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four in the usual underhood location, teamed with an eight-speed automatic transmission and an 87-hp electric motor/generator. The AC power provider replaces the torque converter inside the ZF 8HP gearbox. Computer-controlled servos and clutches provide manual and automatic command over gear ratios and three different propulsion modes. A 7.6-kWh air-cooled lithium-ion battery lives unobtrusively under the trunk floor, while the 10.8-gallon gas tank rests beneath the rear seat.

To experience the joys of combustion-free driving, simply punch the eDrive button on the console to engage the Max eDrive mode. After an initial driveline shudder, there’s barely a whisper as the car motors toward the future. As more city centers around the globe ban vehicles that produce tailpipe emissions, this mode will be an excellent means of maintaining personal mobility. With gentle accelerator pressure, the iPerformance will motor up to a top speed of 75 mph for a maximum of 14 miles, according to BMW, assuming the battery was fully charged at the start. When the driver inevitably grows weary of turtle mode, pressing deeper on the accelerator pedal—say, to execute a safe pass—automatically fires up the turbo four-cylinder. This occurs so smoothly that the transformation is revealed more by the swing of the tach needle than by any engine rumble.

Mode two, called Auto eDrive, is the default setting. The only difference from the Max setting is that the baton passes from electric propulsion to engine power at 50 mph.

BMW i3 Family Test Drive

August 31, 2016Blog, BMW, Electric Cars, i3Trevor Larkum

BMW i3 at Wollaston BMW, Northampton (Image: T. Larkum)

In June I took the family for a test drive in a BMW i3 as the PCP for our Renault ZOE was into its last few months. I had had two i3 drives in the previous couple of years, with cars from BMW at Warwick and Milton Keynes, but this was a chance for the rest of the family to try it out.

The i3 waiting for us (Image: T. Larkum)

We arranged the test drive at our local BMW dealer this time, Wollaston BMW in Northampton. As well as the i3 charging up ready for our drive it was nice to see an i8, the i3’s pricier brother.

I had a good drive, as did my wife, and neither of us could see any objections. Our daughters also seemed happy with the ride, and the eldest felt that it was bigger in the back than our ZOE. That may partly be due, of course, to the i3 having just two seats in the back rather than three.

Jess demonstrating use of the rear ‘coach’ doors (Image: T. Larkum)

We took the i3 home as Wollaston had given us a generous time allowance for the test (about two hours). It looked good on the drive, but the main purpose was to confirm that it fitted fine in the garage and that it was happy to charge on the Chargemaster charge point installed for the ZOE.

The i3 trying out our garage (Image: T. Larkum)

We had a good look around the car. The boot is a bit smaller than we’d like, certainly smaller than that in the ZOE, but unlike in the ZOE the rear seatback splits allowing for some flexibility when carrying large loads with just three people.

The i3’s ‘froot’ (front boot) (Image: T. Larkum)

The i3 has a ‘froot’ – the UK ‘front boot’ equivalent of the US Tesla’s ‘frunk’ or ‘front trunk’ – but it’s not large enough for most purposes. It does, however, handily take the usual car-specific bits – warning triangle, first aid kit, charging cable, etc. – that would otherwise be rolling around the boot. It exists, of course, because the i3 is rear-wheel drive.

Overall the i3 was a big hit, and we ordered one for the family soon after; we went for the longer-range i3 94Ah but that’s a story for another day.

The UK’s best selling plug-in cars revealed

August 2, 2016BMW, Electric Cars, i3, Leaf, Mitsubishi, News, Reviews and Comment, Nissan, Outlander PHEV, SalesTrevor Larkum

By March this year, there were close to 60,000 electric or plug-in hybrid cars driving in the UK

Electric car sales continue to surge in the UK, with the latest figures showing close to 60,000 currently on the road. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV accounts for nearly a third of those, but there’s an increasingly wide range of different models on the roads.

According to DVLA figures analysed by the RAC Foundation by the end of March 2016 there were 19,945 plug-in hybrid electric Outlanders licenced in the UK, over 7,000 more than the next best selling electric or plug-in car, the Nissan Leaf.

The Leaf, however, is the UK’s best-selling battery-electric car. The 12,469 Leafs come with an electric-only drivetrain, whereas the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV uses a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine to complement the batteries and the electric motor.

In third place was the BMW i3, with over 4,500 currently on the road. The i3 comes with a choice of two drive trains, with owners able to spec either a battery electric or a range extender with a 650cc two-cylinder petrol engine to boost the electric car’s range.

Auto Trader BMW i3 car review

If an electric car can fit into your lifestyle, then the BMW i3 is certainly worth a look. It may be dearer than other electric cars, but we think the extra is justified by the premium look and feel, fun driving dynamics, not to mention the option of this range extender version.

Gareth Butterfield spends a week in the all-electric BMW i3

May 24, 2016BMW, Electric Cars, i3, i3 94Ah, News, Reviews and CommentTrevor Larkum

What is it like to live with an electric car? Gareth Butterfield borrows a BMW i3 from Stratstone BMW in Derby to find out

DAY ONE

I’M sitting in the showroom at Stratstone BMW in Derby waiting to be “logged in” to a car. If this week isn’t going to give me a glimpse into the future of motoring, I don’t know what will.

When I got to the dealership, I wasn’t ushered to a desk with all the regular BMW customers. Because I was picking up an i model I was led off to a newly-built, lavishly appointed area away from the main showroom and offered a seat with the firm’s “i agent”, Chris Whitmore.

It’s clear BMW has invested a small fortune into the i brand. As if trying to justify his opulent surroundings Chris begins explaining how it will soon become a standalone marque – I’m guessing in the same way as Toyota did with Lexus and Nissan did with Infiniti.

Except i will be an all-electric brand, focusing on sustainability and zero emissions but not forgetting BMW’s reputation for an involving driving experience. Alright, Chris, I’m sold. Give me the keys, I want a go.

I’m sent on my way with a smartphone app that tells me my car’s status, a fully-charged i3 and a quick-start guide. The last item I took possession of that had a quick start guide was a television. This car feels a lot cleverer than my television. It’s going to be an interesting week.

New BMW i3 gets 195 mile range

May 22, 2016BMW, Electric Cars, i3, i3 94Ah, News, Reviews and CommentTrevor Larkum

A new version of BMW’s i3 has been announced, improving the range of the electric supermini to 195 miles. The i3 94Ah model will replace the current 60Ah version this summer with a battery capacity of 33 kWh.

A battery upgrade for the BMW i3 sees range almost doubled

As Nissan has done with its Leaf 24 and 30 kWh models, BMW has kept the battery dimensions the same to prevent reengineering the model. Instead, it has worked on improving the battery technology to deliver more than a 50 per cent increase in range on the NEDC test.

BMW quotes a 195 range in everyday driving from a full charge with the air conditioning on, while the i3 battery electric vehicle (BEV) will complete the 0-62mph sprint in 7.3 seconds thanks to its 170hp electric motor.

The i3’s battery is made up of eight modules with 12 cells in each and the capacity increase has been attained through the use of optimising cell packaging internally, using more electrolyte and adapting the active material.

BMW offers an eight-year / 100,000 mile warranty on the battery and customers can specify an optional heating system to get the battery up to its optimum operating temperature of 20 degrees Celsius before heading off.

Average power consumption is rated at 12.6 kWh/100km for the BEV, and 11.3 kWh/100km for the i3 REX range extender version. The latter will achieve an equivalent 470.8 MPG and, because of the larger battery, has seen a 1 g/km CO2 reduction to 12 g/km compared to the previous model. BMW quotes a range of 276 miles.

AC multiphase charging allows for 3.7, 7.4 or 11 kW and will charge the i3 BEV in less than three hours despite having a larger battery capacity than before. Rapid DC charging capability comes as standard.

Although there have been no engineering changes barring the battery, specifications have changed, with the Protonic Blue previously reserved for the i8 now available on the new i3 for example. Interior trims are available as separate options for greater levels of customisation, with an Atelier package joining the Loft, Lodge and Suite trims. A focus on using renewable and eco-friendly materials has been carried over from the existing model.

Prices start at £27,830 for the i3 BEV and £30,980 for the i3 REX – both include the £4,500 UK Government Plug-in Car Grant – and the new models are available from July 2016.

Source: Next Green Car

BMW i3 range to be increased to 195 miles with July updates

May 21, 2016BMW, Electric Cars, i3, i3 94Ah, News, Reviews and CommentTrevor Larkum

The BMW i3 will get a range increase of between 80 and 100 miles, while DC fast-charging will now come as standard

The BMW i3 will get a hefty increase in range from July, when the all-electric and range-extender city car will be offered with an improved battery as standard.

The new higher-density battery raises the range of the pure-electric i3 – now labelled i3 94Ah – from ‘between 80 and 100 miles’ to 195 miles, although performance remains the same, with a 0-62mph time of 7.3 seconds. The capacity of the range-extender version of the i3 also rises, to a claimed 276 miles. That car’s CO2 emissions also drop by 1g/km, to 12g/km.

BMW is also making DC fast-charging standard across the i3 range (it was previously an option), and even AC charging should be faster, thanks to multi-phase tech that allows 3.7kW, 7.4kW and 11kW. The fastest of these can replenish the i3’s battery in under three hours, BMW claims.

The i3’s looks remain the same, although the car is now available with the same bright metallic blue paint that has previously been reserved for the i8 sports car. There’s a new standard interior trim, called Atelier, but the old ’Interior worlds’ – Loft and Lodge – are available as options. A further cabin package, called Suite, brings dark oak wood trim on the fascia.

Prices for the new-spec i3 will start at £27,830 (pure EV) and £30,980 (range-extender) after the government plug-in vehicle grant. Despite previous statements suggesting that new technologies would be made available to current i3 owners, BMW says it has no plans to offer the improved battery as an upgrade to existing vehicles.

Source: AutoExpress

Confirmed: 2017 BMW i3 Gets 50% Range Increase, Arrives In July

May 17, 2016BMW, Electric Cars, i3, i3 94AhTrevor Larkum

The long anticipated range improvements for the 2017 BMW i3 became not only a confirmed thing today, but BMW also announced that first deliveries would happen in under three months!

BMW UK sent out two special mailers to interested consumers and current owners on the subject today:

“Before the official announcement, we wanted you to be the first to know that, from July, the BMW i3 will be available with a new, higher capacity lithium-ion battery, so you can travel up to 50%* further on one charge.”

BMW also states you can pre-order now to get the new edition of the car in July.

As a point of reference, here are the “real world”/EPA range specs on the BMW i3 (both the all-electric and with range extending option) that comes equipped with a 22 kWh battery:

BMW i3 BEV: 81 miles/130 km
BMW i3 Rex: 72 miles/115 km

Assuming a true 50% range increase, the 2017 BMW i3 would have a ~33 kWh battery, and the following ranges:

BWW i3 BEV: 120 miles/195 km
BMW i3 REx: 108 miles/175 km

‘I Drive Electric Because I Love My Children More Than You Do’

May 15, 2016Blog, BMW, Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, Model 3, Nissan, Pollution, Tesla, VolkswagenTrevor Larkum

I am the CTO of a company supporting the oil and gas industry, and also the CEO of a start-up (FuelIncluded.com) promoting the adoption of electric cars. Clearly, from at least one perspective, these industries are in direct competition. However I prefer to see them as complementary: the tension between these industries is an example of the many energy transitions we are starting to experience as a society as we move from fossil fuels to renewables, and from pollution to clean air. Having a foot in each camp gives me, I think, an interesting and exciting position from which to watch things unfold, and, to an extent, to promote a much needed change.

Smog in New York City (Image: Public Domain/Wikipedia)

Naturally I’m a big fan of electric cars. I’ve owned one for nearly 3 years and have driven it more than 40,000 miles in that time. It charges at home either from my own solar panels or from our renewable energy supply. It charges on the motorway/freeway at Ecotricity rapid chargers which also have a renewable supply. I’m clearly sympathetic to the view that we should all be driving electric vehicles for the sake of public health and our future climate, never mind peak oil.

However, I was still shocked to receive a retweet on my Twitter feed this week that seemed to go beyond the usual debate on the pros and cons of electric cars. It showed a bumper sticker that said:

“I Drive Electric Because I Love My Children More Than You Do”

It was a bit of a shock to read so I read it again. I then moved on, meaning not to give it another thought. However, since then I’ve found myself reflecting on it. It bothered me, enough for me to want to put my thoughts on paper.

I’ve concluded that there are two issues here that caught my attention – the message itself, and the way the message was communicated.