Suuuuuuuuu - and he is gone! Whispering and almost silent, the BMW i3S has made its mark. From the end of the endurance test, off in the gray season. Bavaria sinks in the snow, the rest of the republic in mud and everywhere only gray in gray. Since the BMW i3S somehow lacks its bright and eye-catching exterior design. Is he really missing? Or was the Stromer with his drive just a funny experiment? Let's get to the bottom of the question.
Die Abrechnung
Let's recap the last - let's say - four months in which the BMW i3S was available in the Autohub editorial office as a permanent tester. What the Bavarians, who are traditionally known for their six-cylinder and dynamics, have worked hard to make an electric vehicle on its feet, is worthy of all honor. And the effort seems justified: Under no other video have you posted more comments and discussed more. Technically, the BMW i3S is one of the most consistent concepts, not necessarily one of the cheapest. The Bavarians of the Isar have not just taken a 1er BMW and provided him with clever electronics, a battery and an electric motor. No, they tackled the topic differently and resorted to the best solution for a Stromer: There was about the carbon chassis, which you already recognize when boarding. Not only does this look chic, it also makes the i3 extremely sturdy. And saves weight, not to forget. Add to that the clever sandwich floor, which makes the interior spacious and offers space for eg the battery. And there is room for something else: the engine. The sits, which one does not necessarily suspect, on the rear axle. This offers advantages in terms of driving dynamics in view of the not to be despised spurt talent of the i3. Do not you think so? Old VW Beetle fairy tales in the head that hog the driving dynamics potential? I say only: Dynamic axle load shift. Who knows this term, will nod, everyone else should take a look at the Auto Hub video. And how much driving pleasure the BMW i3S can do shows Part 2 of the endurance testthat you also find on YouTube. But, as I said: Cheap fun is not: Around 54.000 Euro costs the permanent test - sip!
Does e-mobility have to be expensive?
Let's use the Volkswagen E-Golf for comparison. Well, he doesn't necessarily look like a streamer. The identifying marks are quite subtle - apart from a blue stripe in the "grill" and other daytime running lights you have to look closely - and you can like that about him. And while Volkswagen uses the typical golf structure, which ultimately cannot be avoided, you save design effort. Under the "bonnet" it is pretty tidy and empty, it remains with the front-wheel drive and the usual body, etc. So the E-Golf can be assembled on the same belt as any other Golf. Accordingly, a price of 35.900 euros comes together in the base. The BMW i3 comes to 37.550 euros - also in the base. Not too much of a difference. Well, the i3S comes to at least 41.150 euros, in the equipment used even 54.160 euros - that's a completely different house number.
Since we are just about the costs, the question is: is e-mobility makes sense at all? Price wise? Let's make the comparison: A brake disc for a comparable BMW 120i comes on 98 Euro, for the i3 calculate the Munich 78 Euro. It really gets boring when you look at the gearbox: With the BMW i3, 458 Euro is due for the one-speed pinion. And the 120i? Should the 8 automatic transmission have to be replaced once, you should be able to have a good cushion. 11.000 hefty euros are due. E-mobility should be so expensive? More juxtapositions can of course be found in the video.
Live and let live
If only the question of practicability arises. The current BMW i3S offers a range of about 200 to 220 km. But recently the Bavarians also offer a variant with 120 Ah and more than 40 kWh. Then more than 300 km should be feasible. Not so bad, right? Also, if you may not be a fan of the look of the BMW i3, you should give the technology a chance. Or at least accept it as an alternative. Because if I have learned one of JP Krämers anti-brand hatred, then that you generally do not hate - Neudeutsch: have - should. Neither brands, nor drives and certainly not their driver. Drive and let go. Or so.
