BMW Produced its 200,000th i3

[Fisher99]

Pretty Cool!

https://insideevs.com/news/449410/bmw-produced-200000-i3/amp/

 

[jadnashuanh]

Way back at the beginning, it was indicated that about the best maximum volume for the method BMW envisioned for the i3 build with the CFRP frame was in the order of 50K/year. So, it looks like their decision held up. If the volume was larger, a different technique would have been called for. But, the knowledge gained by working with the i3 during design helped them integrate the material to best effect in their stable of vehicles, and to this day, probably leads the industry in CFRP fabrication.

But anyway, it's nice that it's still holding up, a tribute to the original design engineers.

 

[eNate]

I'd bet, back in 2012, BMW engineers and management forecasted the EV scene looking a whole lot more evolved than what's actually happened. At the time, the low-volume i3 probably also looked short lived, so the hands-on, body-on-frame manufacture/design was deemed "tolerable." I have to wonder what they might have done differently had their crystal ball hardware been updated with a later version of iDrive?

 

[Fisher99]

I live in a small town of about 40k people, roughly 250-300 miles from any large cities. When I bought my (used) i3 I told my wife that we'd have the only one around. Now, a little over a year later, there are 4. Maybe 5, as I've heard rumors of a black one but haven't actually seen it yet. Definitely not something that I'd have ever predicted. But also not too hard to understand. The i3 is arguably the best value in a used electric car available. A relatively inexpensive way to dip your toe into the electric vehicle world.

 

[jadnashuanh]

I have thoroughly enjoyed my i3, and bought it new in June 2014. Doesn't have all that many miles on it, but the vast majority were 1-7 mile trips around town where an ICE would get eaten up since it would rarely get fully warmed up, especially in the wintertime. But, I only have one garage, and I'd like to keep my vehicle inside for both security (not that I've had damage or theft), but also so I don't have to move it when the snow plow comes around. So, while I didn't trade it in, it is for sale after I bought an X5 45e that has more than enough EV range for my typical local trips, but can also take me on transcontinental ones while pulling a trailer should that be in my range of desires without needing to stop for long times or frequently to refuel.

Mine has less than 17K miles on it, and has two sets of wheels/tires, Giga with most all options, $12K.

 

[Fisher99]

Does yours have the REX? What color?

 

[jadnashuanh]

Does yours have the REX? What color?

It's a BEV, andesite silver with lodge interior.

 

[Geodude]

Man, that is so cool !! I don't think anybody thought that the i3 would still have been around after all these years. Hope they keep making for a few more years. Such fun car to drive

 

[jadnashuanh]

As battery tech keeps improving, at least for a city car as it was designed, it becomes yet a little more useful to some additional people. Range anxiety is still probably the biggest detriment to EV adoption. For many people, once they've lived with one, assuming their expectations aren't askew from reality, that becomes much less of an issue, but getting over the initial reaction, where you can stop on almost any corner and fill up a gas tank quickly, having to find an open charging point and then waiting is scary. It's a tribute to the engineers and BMWs vision that the thing is still a viable product after nearly 8-years with little change, at least visually.