The new all-electric BMW i3 is a
landmark in BMW’s mission to provide a completely sustainable, electric vehicle
that stays true to its ultimate driving machine signature.
The BMW i3 is the first product
of the new BMW i sub-brand, and is a truly purpose-built electric car. It’s a
new era for electro mobility at BMW.
The vehicle concept behind the
BMW i3 was designed from the outset to incorporate an all-electric drive
system. This has numerous advantages over “conversion” vehicles, in which the
original combustion engine is swapped for an electric motor.
The engineers can design whatever
works best in terms of construction, dimensions and configuration of the
electric-drive system’s components.
The car’s development is dictated
by the characteristics designed into the car by the development team, and not
by the constraints imposed by a pre-existing vehicle design.
For example, the space in a
conversion vehicle set aside for the fuel tank or exhaust system cannot be
used. In the BMW i3 there is no need for this kind of compromise.
This leads to the architecture
concept, which was purpose-built specifically for the BMW i3. It is comprised
of two modules; the life module, and the drive module.
Think of the Life Module as the
passenger cabin, or greenhouse. It is the first-ever mass produced Carbon Fibre
Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) passenger cell in the automotive business, and is a
big factor in the cars efficiency.
Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic
is equally as strong as steel, while being 50% lighter and 30% lighter than
aluminium.
The interior is made using high
quality renewable sources and recycled materials. The BMW i3 has the next premium
interior, which blends sustainable resources with a premium feel for the same
interior quality as the BMW 5 Series Sedan. 25% of the plastics in the interior
and 25% of the thermoplastic parts on the exterior are made from either
recycled materials or renewable sources.
The BMW i3 will be able to travel
80 to 100 miles on a single charge. This can be increased by up to
approximately 12% in ECO PRO mode, and by the same amount again in ECO PRO+
mode. It is able to recharge in only 3 hours with the use of a 220V Level 2,
32-amp J1772 charger.
The ultimate-drive machine
BMW i3, the ultimate driving machine,
features brake energy regeneration, which when the driver sets off the motor
acts as a generator and converts the kinetic energy into electricity, which is
fed back into the battery for a range gain.
This Regeneration is
speed-sensitive, which means that the car “coasts” for added efficiency at high
speeds, and generates the strong braking effect at lower speeds.
The BMW i3’s accelerator pedal
has a distinct “neutral” position. Rather than switching straight to energy
Regeneration when the driver eases off the accelerator, the electric motor uses
zero torque control to separate from the drive train and deploy only the
available kinetic energy for propulsion.
In this mode, the BMW i3 cruises
using virtually no energy at all. This is another way anticipatory driving can
preserve energy and increase the car’s range.
The impressive electric motor, small
turning circle of 32.3 feet -- a major benefit to driving in the city -- BMW’s
near-perfect 50-50 weight distribution, precise electric power steering and the
stable suspension set-up help to make the i3 as satisfying to drive as every
other BMW.
To improve efficiency it has low
rolling resistance, and the narrow section width is a key factor in the BMW
i3’s super-tight turning radius.
Beyond the traditional immediacy
of response offered by electric motors when pulling away, power development in
the BMW i3 also remains unbroken through higher speeds.
Power is sent to the rear wheels
through a single-speed transmission, allowing the BMW i3 to accelerate with an
uninterrupted flow of power up to its top speed.
City-friendly
The BMW i3 marks the introduction
of a new type of megacity vehicle. Its small size allows it to easily manoeuver
and park on city streets, while the car’s short front and rear overhangs make
parking in tight spaces much easier. Its sharp turning radius and nimble
handling is a perfect match for city driving.
In the front, the slide-through experience
allows the driver to slide through the car and exit on the passenger side, to avoid
exiting into a busy city street. This is made possible because of the absence
of the transmission tunnel.
The coach doors make getting into
and out of the car much more practical by eliminating the B pillar and creating
one large opening to enter and exit.
Not having to fill up on gas is a
big advantage while living in the city, due to the lack of gas stations. Since
electricity is so readily available, recharging is possible almost anywhere,
and practically gives the BMW i3 unlimited range due to being able to charge at
any and every stop.
Emission-free driving is also a
plus in the city. Cities are so congested with cars idling at red lights or
stop and go traffic, so having a car that runs on electricity that doesn’t
pollute is another way that the BMW i3 benefits the environment, and its owner.
On a similar note, the navigation
system can take traffic conditions into consideration and help route around any
areas of large congestion, which is a huge benefit when living in a city with a
lot of traffic. It can help maximise efficiency and cut down commute times in
order to save you time.
The same navigation system also
remembers the owner’s driving style and can judge by that and the amount of
charge left if a route is too long or if a recharge is necessary for the return
journey.
Combining aluminium and plastic
The new drive module has also
been carefully designed and structured with these exacting crash requirements
in mind.
Crash-active aluminium structures
in the front and rear sections of the vehicle provide additional safety. In a
front or rear-on collision, these absorb a large proportion of the energy
generated.
The battery, meanwhile, is
mounted in the under-body section of the car to give it the best possible
degree of protection. Statistically, this is the area that absorbs the least
energy in the event of a crash, and the vehicle shows barely any deformation
here as a result.
Moreover, positioning the battery
in the under-body allows the BMW Group development engineers to give the
vehicle an ideal low centre of gravity, which makes it extremely agile and
unlikely to roll over.
The high-voltage battery also
benefits from the excellent deformation properties of the CFRP Life module. In
the side crash test, the pole does not penetrate as far as the battery. The mix
of materials used and the intelligent power distribution module ensure that the
high-voltage battery is optimally protected even in the side-sill area.
All in all, the high-strength
CFRP passenger cell teams up with the intelligent distribution of forces to lay
the foundations for optimum occupant protection.
In the unfortunate situation that
an accident occurs, Intelligent Emergency Call sends information like location,
number of front-seat occupants, and even crash severity data to the Connected Drive
Call Centre, which quickly informs the appropriate dispatch centre.
Lithium-ion batteries are safe even in the event of
a fire
Safety is a key criterion in the development of the BMW i models. A range of systems and measures have been implemented in the vehicle, which ensure safety in normal operations and in the event of accidental fires.
The high-voltage system is designed to cope
with accidents beyond the legal requirements, with the high-voltage battery
including features that ensure its safe reaction even in situations such as
this.
The latest series of tests
conducted concluded that electric and hybrid cars with lithium-ion drive system
batteries are at least as safe as vehicles with conventional drive systems in
the event of fire.
To ensure maximum safety in a
crash scenario, the high-voltage battery is disconnected from the high-voltage
system and the connected components discharged when the passenger restraint
systems are triggered.
This safely feature prevents the
possibility of a short-circuit, which could lead to electric shocks or cause a
fire.
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