BMW Cars Still Top Luxury Market But i3 Is An Eco-Conscious Miss [Video]
As far as luxury goes, BMW cars top the list. And there’s no denying the 2015 BMW i3 is a luxurious vehicle.
Built to be an electric car all-grown-up, the 2015 i3 is the most energy-efficient car on the market, getting the equivalent of 139 miles per gallon when battery powered, according to Consumer Reports. It’s perfect for the eco-friendly soccer mom who needs a daily driver about town.
While the technology to produce the i3 and the materials are revolutionary – BMW clearly devotes effort to every detail of their cars – the real concern is its practicality for the everyday consumer. In that respect, the i3 isn’t all that revolutionary.
With a style described as merely “liveable,” the clunky body is the epitome of geek-chic, which is moderately appealing, if you’re into that sort of thing. The body is a turn off however, when compared to sportier cars, like the Lexus CT. The i3’s underpinning is made with carbon-fiber plastic, making it extremely lightweight. And in a world where it usually takes three to five days to create a carbon fiber part, BMW can produce an i3 in an astonishing 5 minutes using their ground-breaking technology, according to Green Car Reports.
The i3 seats four people, although the rear-hinged backseat doors can only be opened when the front doors are open – a design flaw that extended-cab truck makers abandoned in the early 21st century because of it’s awkward and limiting nature.
The rear-wheel i3, although revolutionary in it’s construction, still has the same limitations as other electric cars. The i3 can only go about 75 miles before needing to recharge, although BMW offers an optional two-cylinder gasoline engine generator. The gas tank doesn’t add much value either. It’s is a mere 1.9 gallon tank, that will take you about an additional 50 miles – just far enough to rush home to charge your vehicle.
With 25 #BMWi3 vehicles available and a charging network established, e-mobility tourism starts in Germany. pic.twitter.com/xE4ZJZwbpy
— BMW i (@BMWi) April 27, 2015
BMW did hit one mark right on the i3 when it’s compared to other eco-friendly cars. The interior is made of plant-based fiber derived from kenaf. BMW even used kenaf in unexposed areas of these cars, such as the backing of the dashboard, according to Green Car Reports, a finding that’s sure to make every tree-hugger proud.
Despite questionable body style, BMW is poised to double it’s sales of its electric cars compared to last year. Last year, BMW sold 6,092 electric cars between May and December. The luxury giant hopes to double that number in 2015, although other luxury brands are hot on their heels. With 451,576 cars sold in 2015 alone, it looks as if that might just happen.
[Image credit: Jens Schlueter/Getty Images]
