Electric Cars: The Basics
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The All-Electric BMW i3 Hatchback
BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke AG), is a leading global automotive manufacturer headquartered in Munich, Germany. BMW is well known for its portfolio of luxury vehicles, to include the famed Rolls-Royce luxury cars.
The group manufacturers a number of cars under its BMW brand, to include battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The BMW i3 EV is an excellent example of a successful pure electric car. The company currently has the following portfolio of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs):
- The all-electric BMW iX1
- The all-electric BMW iX2
- The all-electric BMW iX3
- The all-electric BMW iX
- The all-electric BMW i3
- The all-electric BMW i4
- The all-electric BMW i5
- The all-electric BMW i7
The BMW i3 electric hatchback is part of the BMW zero-emission sub brand ‘BMW i’. The plug-in pure electric i3 car is the first mass-market BEV manufactured by BMW. The BMW i3 made its debut at the International Motor Show in Germany 2011, with production commencing in 2013 in Leipzig, Germany.
The BMW i3 has won a number of awards, to include, the World Green Car of the Year, World Car Design of the Year, World Car of the Year and an iF Product Design Gold Award. The larger EV battery pack (42.2 kWh) was announced in 2018. In October 2017, the 100,000th BMW i3 rolled off the production line and the 200,000th BMW i3 rolled off the Leipzig production line in October 2020.
The pure electric BMW i3 has a 42.2 kWh onboard EV battery. It is true, in that, the more recent introduction of electric cars have a larger EV battery, but given the positioning of the i3 electric car as a city car, the 42.2 kWh battery size is appropriate.
The manufacturer claims a zero-emission electric range up to 307 km for the i3 and up to 283 km for the sportier i3s variant. Though this pure electric range may not be as impressive as some recent alternatives, it is no doubt useful for most day-to-day needs and for shorter commutes on the motorway. The electric car also incorporates regenerative braking to increase efficiency and electric range.
Even accounting for the real-world range, the BMW i3 has a decent electric range. Depending on the driving profile, weather conditions, road surface, wheel size, onboard services used, expect a real-world electric range closer to 260 km for the BMW i3.
The EV offers DC charging up to 50 kW and can be charged from 0%-80% in 42 minutes. Though the electric car incorporates an 11 kW (3-phase) onboard charger, given that most homes in Ireland are single-phase (7.4 kW), expected the EV battery to be fully charged in around 6 hours.
We at e-zoomed recommend charging overnight when the electricity tariff prices are cheaper and we also encourage the use of a dedicated home EV charging station like zappi, which is compatible with solar energy. We discourage the use of a domestic 3-PIN plug for charging an electric car.
In terms of performance, the rear-wheel drive BMW i3 can achieve 0-100 km/h in 7.3 seconds, with a 150 km/h top speed (maximum power: 170 hp/ torque: 250 Nm). The higher performance BMW i3s variant can achieve 0-100 km/h in 6.9 seconds (maximum power: 184 hp/ torque: 250 Nm). The electric car also benefits from instant torque.
In terms of exterior stying, the BMW i3 has always made a bold statement, given it futuristic styling. The build and interior quality is what you would expect from a premium brand like BMW. Though the electric hatchback is compact, surprisingly the interior cabin does not feel as small, even for passengers seated on the rear seats. Moreover, access to the rear seats is easy, given the unique rear-door configuration offered on this model. The boot space is limited to 260 L.
The pure electric BMW i3 is now being discontinued, but still an option to consider for a used electric car. Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet!
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Good performance | DC charging limited to 50 kW |
| Good build and interior quality | Small boot and rear headroom limited |
| 11 kW on-board charger | Cheaper alternatives available |
Gallery
The All-Electric BMW i3 Hatchback (credit: BMW)
| At A Glance | |
|---|---|
| EV Type: | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) |
| Body Type: | Hatchback |
| Engine: | Electric |
| Available In Ireland: | Yes |
| Variants (2 Options) |
|---|
| BMW i3 (from € 44,697) |
| BMW i3s (from € 47,848) |
| EV Battery & Emissions | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
| EV Battery Capacity: | Available in one battery size: 42.2 kWh |
| Charging: | 50 kW rapid charging (0%-80%: 42 mins). On-board charger 11 kW AC |
| Charge Port: | Type 2 |
| EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
| Tailpipe Emissions: | 0g (CO2/km) |
| Warranty: | 8 years or 160,000 km |
| Average Cost Of Residential Charging | |
|---|---|
| Battery net capacity: 16.7 kWh | € 4.00 |
| Battery net capacity: 30.0 kWh | € 7.19 |
| Battery net capacity: 39.2 kWh | € 9.39 |
| Battery net capacity: 45.0 kWh | € 10.78 |
| Battery net capacity: 50.0 kWh | € 11.98 |
| Battery net capacity: 64.0 kWh | € 15.34 |
| Battery net capacity: 71.0 kWh | € 17.01 |
| Battery net capacity: 77.0 kWh | € 18.45 |
| Battery net capacity: 90.0 kWh | € 21.57 |
| Battery net capacity: 100.0 kWh | € 23.97 |
- Note 1: The average cost of residential electricity in Ireland varies depending on the region, supplier and type of energy used. An average for Ireland is 23.97 cents/kWh.
- Note 2: Not all EV manufactures make available the data on net EV battery capacity, and in a number of instances the EV battery capacity advertised, does not state if it is gross or net capacity. In general, usable EV battery capacity is between 85% to 95% of the gross available capacity.
| Charging Times (Overview) | |
|---|---|
| Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW): | 6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC) |
| Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW): | 3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Rapid charging AC (43 kW): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Rapid charging DC (50 kW+): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+): | 0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW): | 0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
- Note 1: SoC: state of charge
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Height (mm): | 1590 |
| Width (mm): | 1791 |
| Length (mm): | 4006 |
| Wheelbase (mm): | 2570 |
| Turning Circle (m): | 9.9 |
| Boot Space (L): | 260 |
| BMW i3 120Ah | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Capacity: | 42.2 kWh |
| Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 285 – 307 km |
| Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km): | 16.3 – 15.3 |
| Charging: | 50 kW rapid charging (0%-80%: 42 mins). On-board charger 11 kW AC |
| Top Speed: | 150 km/h |
| 0-100 km/h: | 7.3 seconds |
| Drive: | Rear-wheel drive (RWD) |
| Electric Motor (kW): | 125 |
| Max Power (hp): | 170 |
| Torque (Nm): | 250 |
| Transmission: | Automatic |
| Seats: | 4 |
| Doors: | 5 |
| Unladen Weight-EU: | 1,345 |
| Colours: | 4 |
| NCAP Safety Rating: | N/A |
| BMW i3s 120Ah | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Capacity: | 42.2 kWh |
| Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 278 – 283 km |
| Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km): | 16.6 – 16.3 |
| Charging: | 50 kW rapid charging (0%-80%: 42 mins). On-board charger 11 kW AC |
| Top Speed: | 160 km/h |
| 0-10 km/h: | 6.9 seconds |
| Drive: | Rear-wheel drive (RWD) |
| Electric Motor (kW): | 135 |
| Max Power (hp): | 184 |
| Torque (Nm): | 250 |
| Transmission: | Automatic |
| Seats: | 4 |
| Doors: | 5 |
| Unladen Weight (kg): | 1,365 |
| Colours: | 4 |
| NCAP Safety Rating: | N/A |
Ireland: EV Market Overview
As is the case in a number of global markets, to include the European Union and the United Kingdom, the sale of electric cars in Ireland is also fast gaining momentum. In fact, in January 2022, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), accounted for 21% of all new cars licensed in Ireland. Put another way, more than a fifth of the cars bought in Ireland were either pure electric or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
It is also worth nothing the continued decline in the sale of diesel vehicles in Ireland, as families and businesses migrate to lower tailpipe emission electric vehicles (EVs). Diesel market share has declined from 34.2% in early 2021 to 19.7% in early 2022. We can expect this trend to continue for the forseeable future.
The government has set a target of 936,000 electric vehicles by 2030, with 845,000 to be private passenger cars. This will be approximately a third of the vehicles on roads in Ireland (currently there are 2.8 million vehicles on the road). Like many other governments, Ireland is committed to ending the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) cars by 2030.
The government is committed to the rapid adoption of electric cars in the country. The Department of Transport has committed €100 million for EV subsidies in 2022 (almost double the commitment in 2021). The grant for private electric vehicles is up to €5,000 on qualifying battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), do not qualify for the electric vehicle grant.
Ireland: Top Electric Cars
| Top Electric Cars | Type Of EV |
|---|---|
| Tesla Model 3 | Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) |
| Volkswagen ID.3 | Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) |
| Nissan Leaf | Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) |
| Renault Zoe | Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) |
| Volkswagen ID.4 | Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) |
| Hyundai IONIQ 5 | Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) |
| Kia e-Niro | Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) |
| Kia EV6 | Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) |
While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.
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