BMW i3s

BMW i3s – Overview

The first premium brand, fully electric vehicle (EV) launched in Malaysia is the BMW i3 and we are lucky to have the performance version, the i3s instead. It is so premium that only 30 units were allocated to selected BMW showrooms. The fully imported i3s was launched at the price of RM 278,800. There are not many EVs in Malaysia at the moment and so, the BMW i3s has only the Mini Cooper SE and Nissan Leaf as its competitors. 

BMW i3s - Exterior

At first glance, the BMW i3s’ design might seem odd or futuristic, depending on your perspective but there is no denying the presence it has because of its special design. The lack of a B-pillar and lowering window line for rear door are among the design cue that will capture the most attention. Each i3s features two-toned color with black on top and blue accents for certain color.

As the sportier trim of the BMW i3 series, the exterior gives out an aggressive look by having gloss black aprons in both front and rear bumper and the accents inside the signature kidney grills. On the side, you will notice gloss black, fender extensions that create a 40 mm wider track. The extra width allows for the 20-inch, light-alloy rims to be used with staggered tyres of 175/55 for the front and 195/50 for the rear.

Exclusively designed for the i3s is the unique U-shaped LED headlights. The kidney grills between the headlights are different than those on a regular BMW. The i3s does not have an engine and that is why there is no need for airflow. Hence, there are no openings on the grill nor on the front bumper. This provides better aerodynamics for the BMW i3s.

BMW I3S - Interior

Inside the cabin, there are many exclusive designs that are only available for the BMW i-series electric vehicle. Firstly, you will notice that there is no center console because the gearbox is not in the front. Instead, the gear lever is located on the right of the steering wheel along with the engine start button. Next, is the 5.7-inch LCD unit as the instrument panel and a 10.25-inch screen on the dashboard for the infotainment unit. 

As for the material, the i3s is decorated with the BMW i Interior Design Suite. Owners will get a two-spoke, leather steering wheel with Satin Silver accent, instrument panel in Dalbergia Brown leather, all round Dark Truffle Vernasca leather upholstered seats and a Carum Spice Grey headliner. Various interior parts and panels are made with recycled plastics, natural fiber and eucalyptus wood.

The sportiness of the i3s can be felt in the interior with the blue colour seatbelt and the cool suicide rear doors. It is really rare to see suicide doors other than on a Rolls Royce or the sporty Mazda RX-8. It certainly makes it easier to enter the rear seats. Set as an urban city car, the boot is decent with 260 liters of storage. However, there is no handsfree tailgate or auto close function available.

BMW i3s - Features

The BMW i3s comes with the Driving Assistant Plus system featuring autonomous emergency braking (AEB), Collision and Pedestrian Warning with City Braking, Traffic Jam Assistant and active cruise control with stop and go as standard. 

For parking, this package includes a rear-view camera, and Park Distance Control for both front and rear in the form of sensors.The infotainment in the i3s is provided by the 10.25-inch screen on the dashboard. It is linked to BMW’s iDrive system and has the BMW Navigation System Professional system.

BMW i3s - Powertrain

Being an electric vehicle, The BMW i3s does not have an engine and is replaced by a rear-mounted synchronous electric motor. The motor is powered by a 42.2 kW, 120 Ah capacity lithium-ion battery, the largest found in the i3 range. This combination produces 184 PS and 270 Nm of torque.

The battery can be charged using AC current either with the provided Type 2 connector-3 pin plug cable (3.7 kW) or the BMW i Wallbox Plus (11 kW) charging station. The first option takes around 11 hours to fully charge while the second option only requires around 3 hours. 

However, the i Wallbox would cost you an extra RM 8,900 and RM 1,400 for the required cable. Alternatively, the i3s can also be charged using a CSS port DC charger (50 kW) at any ChargeEV outlets under the BMW ChargeNow program in just one hour for a full charge.  

The electric motor is paired with a single-speed transmission driving the rear wheels like how a BMW should. Drivers turn the gear lever to engage into D gear. As part of the BMW i LifeDrive architecture, the i3s’ chassis body is made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) and the bottom is made of aluminum. 

The floor-mounted batteries and rear-mounted drivetrain are mounted to this aluminum bottom. This allows a lower center of gravity for the i3s. It also saves weight as the i3s only weighs 1,365 kg, despite having a heavy battery. In order to make a performance variant, the i3s had been fitted with a sports suspension setup that includes stiffer springs, dampers, and anti-roll bars. As a result, the i3s is 10 mm lower and handles better than its sibling, the i3.

The i3s might have a simple transmission due to its EV characteristic, BMW made it a fun car to drive. This is why BMW included optimized Dynamic Stability Control, Dynamic Traction Control, Cornering Brake Control and Dynamic Brake Control into the mix. When under Sport mode, the Traction program allows for small drifts when grip levels are low.

BMW i3s - Fuel Economy

According to BMW, once fully charged, the i3s has an operating range of 345 km on the WLTP test cycle. This translates to roughly around a range of 260 km in the actual world. 

BMW i3s - Driving Performance

Electric Vehicles are not well known for performance but no one could deny the force of the instantaneous torque from an electric motor. This made the BMW i3s able to achieve a decent time of 6.9 seconds for a 0-100 km/h sprint and a top speed of 160 km/h. 

The i3s gains a Sport mode over the BMW i3 and can be selected in the Driving Experience Control system. This sharpens the throttle response and increases steering effort. Other modes available are Comfort and Eco Pro.

BMW i3s - Ride Comfort

The BMW i3s is strictly a 4-seater but is a comfortable car to be in. There is plenty of headroom and leg space even at the rear seats. Entering is made easier with the rear suicide doors and rear passengers can fold the front seats with a lever, located at the back of the headrest. 

Unfortunately, there is electronic seats and have to be manually adjusted. There are no electronically controlled dampers and the i3s is equipped with a sports suspension but the ride is not too stiff as it is meant to be a family, city car.

BMW i3s - Conclusion 

Electric Vehicles in general have been called boring and only the environmentally conscious would ever consider buying one. The BMW i3s is a good package of rear wheel drive, quick acceleration, great handling and most importantly, a sustainable car. Where else could you find a car made majority with carbon fiber (sporty), does not use fossil fuel and recycled material? The i3s allows you to have fun and save the Earth at the same time.