BMW AG is showing off the production model of its new i3 electric compact that uses carbon-fiber materials to keep the weight down and improve driving performance. With its visionary design, the BMW i3 design defines the automobile of tomorrow. Its innovative BMW eDrive power train was designed in the scope of the BMW EfficientDynamics technology and is not only locally emission-free, but also offers an incomparable and nearly silent driving experience. The intelligent BMW ConnectedDrive Services bring the driver easily and conveniently to his destination. CEO Norbert Reithofer stressed at a New York unveiling that the car was designed as an electric from the ground up. The i3 is “born electric,” he said. The company said the i3, built in Leipzig, Germany, will go from zero to 100kph (zero to 62 mph) in 7.2 seconds. Its range is billed as 130-160 kilometers (80-100 miles). Models with an optional range extender gas engine can go as far as 300 kilometers (200 miles.) The BMW i3 opens a new chapter of a visionary design language for BMW tailor-made for electric vehicles. The innovative LifeDrive architecture with carbon passenger compartment provides an especially roomy feeling in the interior (in part thanks to the absence of a center tunnel) and is characterized by the use of high-quality, sustainable materials. The aerodynamic exterior design with opposing doors, the characteristic black band and large wheels create a dynamic impression about the BMW i3's driving agility even when it's standing still. The car goes on sale in November in Germany and other European markets starting at €34,950 ($46,000) and reaches the US Japan and China next year. — SG/AP
