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      12-19-2013, 05:57 PM   #1
MotoEV
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Took Part In the BMW i3 Test Drive / Marketing Event

Test drove one of the fleet of BMW i3s being offered for test drive in limited markets. For perspective:
  • Currently own a BMW hybrid and love it
  • Love the BMW family of products
  • Have a deposit on a Tesla Model X
  • Own Tesla stock

This marketing event was initiated in large-part to pre-test i3 interest from current BMW owners and those who have expressed initial interest. BMW does not want this i3 product to fail from a sales perspective in the USA.

Test Drive - Likes
  • Like the suspension tuning - compliant but not soft
  • Open spacious feeling interior
  • New BMW design elements are interesting
  • Good performance and NVH management

Test Drive - Concerns
  • The looks - body architecture and surfacing is good
  • Only two-tone paint and eco blue highlights are too limiting
  • Give me monchrome and sporty - Less color mix and match
  • Increase the interior color pallet - too limiting
  • Keep the 'world' interior themes but offer a full color interior pallet option like all BMWs
  • Options will be expensive for what the car is designed to do - City Car
  • A 2015 Leaf with 20% more range, improved battery management, and slight exterior visual updates would might give BMW some unwanted competition.

I did not leave the test drive ready to order an i3. I sense the choice to offer a smaller battery pack due to weight savings may be a problem if 100-115 MPe is hard to come by. The delay in the MPe rating for the i3 gives me concern that the range will be equal to the Leaf (not a good thing). 125 real world MPe is the best balance from my perspective.

After watching and reflecting on the video below, I am not prepared to deal with an EV where range is a constant problem when temperatures drop. I think the MPe rating should be adjusted to reflect the worse case example (lights on, heat or air-conditioning on). Underpromising and Overdelivering is always a good thing.

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      12-21-2013, 08:36 PM   #2
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I did the test drive today and was not totally impressed by the unfinished looking dash and door parts. Aside from that, the car had pretty impressive torque. I own a leaf and it pulled a little better than the leaf. As far as the mpge is concerned, no one could tell me much info on the car and as I know from experience now, my leaf doesn't come close to 100 miles on a charge even if I drive like a grandma. Would I trade my leaf for the i3? Probably not. Would I buy it if I didn't already have a leaf. Maybe, but with the range extender.
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