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Tech

What Makes the BMW i Series Special?

In the 105 years BMW has designed and built cars, it has earned a reputation for pushing the envelope and bringing cutting-edge engineering to the masses. A shining example of this commitment to innovation is the i Series, a line of BMWs that focuses on alternative fuel technologies, new materials and a forward-looking driving experience.

Past i Series were something of a specialty product, a niche in the BMW portfolio showcasing new technologies like hybrid powertrains and provocative design. However, several new models on the horizon will bring the i Series to the forefront of the BMW lineup.

Early i Series Models

You may have seen an i Series model on the road, as they’ve been available for almost 10 years. The compact i3 launched in Europe in 2013 and the United States in 2014. It offers fully electric power, with the option for added motivation from a two-cylinder range-extender internal combustion engine (ICE).

Some readers may be surprised to learn that the i3 is still being produced today. Owners praise the car for its low fuel consumption and airy, premium interior. The i3 also boasts advanced carbon-fiber reinforced-plastic (CFRP) construction, which keeps weight under 3,000 pounds without sacrificing safety.

If you’re looking for something more evocative, you may have noticed the i3’s stablemate, the i8 — which is now out of production. It used carbon fiber and CFRP to deliver a battery-powered car under 3,400 pounds. A comparably sized Tesla Model 3 can exceed 4,000 pounds, and a Model 3 can reach 5,000, eating into the benefits of the car’s electric powertrains.

Alas, BMW says it will no longer make use of carbon for future i models because battery technology has improved to the point that it’s uncalled for. Still, the i3 and i8 demonstrate the philosophy of the i model line with their use of the latest materials to achieve safety, performance and efficiency.

The Future of BMW i

The i brand celebrating its 10th birthday in 2023 represents BMW’s distinctive offering for buyers who want to enjoy the luxury brand’s driving experience in a package that incorporates the latest sustainability technologies.

Many automakers have struggled with the challenge of how to make electric cars more easily acceptable. Only recently have powertrains and packaging enabled EVs to look and function like their ICE-powered counterparts. They still deliver the benefits of a reduced carbon footprint, silent operation, instant acceleration and regenerative braking associated with gas-powered cars.

The new BMW i4, iX and iX3 will join the i3 as full-time i series offerings, creating a complete line of fully electric i models, replete with all the luxury and performance you would expect of a BMW. The iX3 is already available at the time of writing, and all three models should be ready to do battle with rival EV offerings like Ford’s Mustang Mach-E, Audi’s e-tron line, the upstart Hyundai Ioniq 5 and all things Tesla.

Living up to The Name

Will these new offerings from the Bavarian Motor Works offer the drive a BMW should? All signs point to yes.

In the world of EVs, power is easy to come by. Still, the forthcoming i4 sedan will tout 523 horsepower and upwards of 600 pound-feet of torque, placing it squarely in competition with Audi and handily outpacing the Mach-E in top GT Performance guise. More meaningful for would-be EV buyers might be the i4’s projected 373-mile range and fast-charging capabilities, which should make it a viable alternative to a Tesla. Plus, you get the added benefit of BMW’s build quality and driving dynamics.

You can walk into a BMW dealership today and buy an iX3, perhaps the least aspirational of the i series cars, but a highly functional electrified take on the X3 crossover. With 286 miles of range and performance that easily surpasses a base-model X3, it’s a great solution for people who want a “normal” crossover that just happens to be electric.

It seems that models without numbers represent the fullest expression of the i credo. The i4 and iX show off bleeding-edge features like the new iDrive 8 infotainment interface, optional BMW CarData telematics and what BMW calls “shy tech.” This is a concept where features like radar sensors and cameras are integrated smoothly into the vehicle’s exterior, while inside, the stereo seems to play without any speakers in sight.

It’s all part of the magic of i. If the M brand is any indicator, BMW knows how to develop a product line. Look forward to more innovative and sustainable offerings from this new subbrand. It doesn’t seem too outlandish to think that someday, we might even see a collaboration between the two.

Information

BMW To Launch iNext EV Models By 2023

According to an announcement made in Munich last year, BMW is ramping up its production of electric vehicles and plans on bringing them to market sooner than previously announced.

By 2023, BMW will significantly expand its lineup of electrified vehicles and add 25 new options for consumers after sustainable luxury vehicles.

Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming generation of new BMW EV models.

BMW’s New Electric Vehicles Getting Ready for Market

The new vehicles will be part of the BMW i sub-brand, which already includes vehicles like the i3 city car and i8 plug-in hybrid. More than half of the 25 new vehicles will be fully electrified, with many of the others being a hybrid version of existing models. 

Among the vehicles is the BMW iNext, which was announced in 2018, and is currently expected to arrive on the market in 2021. BMW is also expected to roll out the i4, the i3’s successor, sometime that year.

BMW also plans to launch a range of new plug-in electric hybrid versions of the BMW 3 series, 7 series, and X5. The company is also planning a China-exclusive plug-in hybrid version of the X1, as well as new hybrid versions of the 2 series and 5 series. A European and U.S. version of the hybrid X1 is getting ready for production.

Other EVs expected to arrive before 2023 include a fully-electric Mini, manufactured in England, and an electric version of the X3 crossover called the iX3 that is designed for the Chinese market.

BMW Press

The EV Timetable

Previously, the company had planned to have all of these EVs on the market by 2025 at the earliest. Now, however, BMW is accelerating its electric strategy, and plans to have the cars ready by 2023 

The accelerated timetable is based on the success of the company’s current electric and hybrid vehicles, BMW claims it will have doubled its sale of electric vehicles by 2021, compared to its 2019 numbers, and the continued growth of BMW’s EV sales numbers.

The advanced production is also likely in part due to BMW’s new scalable vehicle architecture, which allows the company to swap in a BEV or PHEV powertrain into any vehicle that uses the new architecture.

BMW hasn’t said yet whether or not it will remain committed to further electric vehicle development in the near future — but if current market trends hold, and EVs remain as profitable as they’ve been for BMW, it’s likely that we’ll see even more EVs be announced in the near future.

Businesses across the automotive industry are pivoting to electric, resulting in large-scale production of everything from electric trucks to e-buses — EV market growth suggests that there is definitely room for additional BMW EVs.

BMW Prepping 25 EVs for Launch by 2023

The quicker arrival of the new electric vehicles, which were planned to arrive on the market by 2025, is likely a good sign for those wanting more EVs from BMW. 

The 25 new cars include both hybrids and fully-electric vehicles and demonstrate the flexibility of BMW’s new architecture, which could make developing new EV variant models even easier in the future.

A few of the cars that are planned for launch will be exclusive to the Chinese market, but there’s no reason to believe that they won’t eventually be exported to the US and European markets.

Editorial

We Won’t See an Electric BMW Motorcycle for Some Time

If you were anxious to get your hands on a BMW electric motorcycle, you’re going to have to wait. 

Despite revealing the electric Vision DC Roadster in June of 2019, it appears the German company isn’t putting electric bikes at the top of their priority list. In an interview with Cycle World, CEO of BMW Motorrad Markus Schramm said it might be at least five years before they put a new electric motorcycle on the road.

Hitting the Brakes

The head of BMW referenced the Vision DC Roadster when mentioning that the company believes electric bikes will be an important undergoing in the future. Even so, Schramm continued to say it could be half a decade before they produce an electric motorcycle for use within cities.

Five years is quite a long time to wait, and that only refers to urban bikes. Schramm’s statement indicated that he was uncertain about the future of electric bikes for touring, sports and off-roading. These remarks are somewhat surprising, given that BMW has already unveiled electronic concepts. Furthermore, the manufacturer already has an electric scooter on the market, known as the C Evolution. 

The State of Electric Bikes Today

This pause in pursuing electric motorcycles is even more curious when you consider the competition. Harley-Davidson has already begun selling their first electric bike, the LiveWire. The LiveWire boasts a near-silent ride, instant throttle response, and an estimated range of 110 miles. For comparison, the BMW C Evolution scooter claims a range of up to 99 miles.

While BMW appears to be in no hurry to actually release an electric motorcycle, a couple of the electrical concepts they have come up with include: 

  • A wireless charging system: Recently, the company filed a patent for a wireless charging system using the kickstand. Whether this means that they are revamping their efforts in the realm of all-electric motorcycles is unclear, but unlikely given Schramm’s comments.
  • E-Power Roadster Concept: In December of 2019, the company revealed the E-Power Roadster Concept, an electric sports bike. This will likely not be the first electric bike released by BMW, as Schramm remained ambiguous about the viability of electric sport and off-road motorcycles. 

The Future of BMW Motorcycles

Further in the Motor World interview, Schramm reaffirmed that urban mobility is the main focus of their electric pursuits. The BMW CEO indicated optimism about the future of electric motorcycles, claiming he was confident that they would become increasingly important within cities.   

In the same statements, Schramm reemphasized the five-year waiting period before we’ll see a proper BMW electric bike. This might signal that the manufacturer is switching gears — moving from high-power sportbikes like the Vision DC Roadster and E-Power Roadster to focus on motorcycles for city use. Or it could signal that BMW does not consider electric bikes to be a priority.

It’s difficult to say with confidence what the company’s motivations are. Whatever the reasons may be, what we do know is that BMW electric motorcycles will still likely be a long way off.