The BMW i3 is a lightweight by all means. The Germans wanted to make sure that’s going to be the case ever since they started working on the VISION concepts and thought about creating a sub-brand that would be made up of eco-friendly cars.
In this regard not only did they put into production probably the lightest mass-production EV to date but they also made sure that the material needed for it to exist was cheap enough to be used. Yes, we’re talking about the Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic thingie that most people refer to as CFRP today.
Before BMW invested €2 billion in its research, the world already knew about it but it was seldom used because of its price tag. Today, at the Moses Lake plant in the US, the Munich-based company is manufacturing it by the tons together with their American partner.
The results can be seen in the video below where a 7-year old takes on a BMW i3. Since the car is electric and cannot be jumpstarted it’s pretty obvious that this test was done only to showcase just how light the EV is. If even a kid can push it down the road, the experiment was successful, right?
Let’s talk real numbers
Going further in detail you’ll learn that the i3 is actually tipping the scale at 1,195 kg (2,634 lbs) including the 18.8 kWh lithium-ion battery which is downright incredible. Furthermore, the kid is also helped by the low-resistance rolling tires installed on this car that have been specially created for it.
The electric motor has 170 HP and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) of torque at its disposal to send the car up to 60 km/h (37 mph) in 3.7 seconds and then up to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 7.2 seconds, reaching a top speed of 150 km/h (93 mph).
At the same time, the lightweight construction also translates into a range of 160 km/h (100 miles) according to BMW. However, the EPA says you’ll only be able to do 81 miles (130 km) with a full charge which is still pretty good. Prices for the i3, in case you’re curious, start at $41,350 from which you can deduct various government grants, depending on the state you live in. A simple estimate says that thanks to its powertrain you’ll be saving up to $9,000 in fuel over 5 years which is to be taken into consideration.
L.E.: It would seem like a 4-year old can do it as well, admittedly with a little more struggle. Check out the little guy go!
Google News