That wouldn’t be particularly notable, except that the BMW decelerates so quickly and consistently at all speeds that the regenerative braking can slow the car all the way to a stop. When you lift off the accelerator, the i3 initiates a regenerative braking scheme that converts kinetic energy into electricity to extend the range. In keeping with automotive tradition, BMW installed two pedals at the driver’s feet, but it’s possible to drive the i3 using only the right one. But there’s one big difference in how you drive the i3. Quiet and smooth, it steps off the line with the confident low-rpm torque shove of an electric motor.
With a fully charged battery, the i3 drives much like electric competitors from Nissan, Ford, and Chevrolet. But while it’s difficult to wrap your head around the i3 as a BMW, it makes perfect sense as an ambassador for the future of driving. Around the skidpad, tires barely wider than an adult hand manage just 0.80 g of lateral grip with the undefeatable stability control nipping at the brakes. The drive-mode chassis-adjustment selector here tops out at Comfort and the closest the i3 comes to a Sport+ mode analogue is Eco Pro+, a self-inflicted driving purgatory where top speed is limited to 56 mph and the climate-control system blows only unconditioned air from the outside. If, like us, you’ve noticed that BMW’s traditionally sporty sedans are getting soft around the belly, the i3 might convince you that the Bavarians have now swung to the opposite extreme, still eschewing athleticism but now adopting a Fair Trade, locally sourced, Whole Foods outlook on building cars. The materials, the powertrain, and even the awkward design all point to a future of smarter and more efficient cars. Look past the tall, stubby hood and you’ll find an aluminum skateboard chassis driven by an electric motor, augmented by a two-cylinder gasoline-fueled “range extender” engine, and topped with a carbon-fiber passenger cell skinned in composite panels. The BMW i3 with its optional range extender is steeped in forward-thinking technology.
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Hollywood never dreams of roads jammed full of frumpy electric hatchbacks, but the BMW i3 suggests that’s our more likely automotive future. Either it’s sleek and bright, filled with fast-moving pods gliding over flawless, uncongested roads, or it’s dark and dystopian, with kludged trucks and muscle cars roaming dilapidated and desolate highways. The automotive future according to Hollywood exists as one of two polar-opposite scenarios.
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