B
illed as a sort of brand-within-a-brand initiative, Project i is BMW’s vehicle development program that has been quietly working away on eco-friendly vehicles. In late July the venture’s first production car was unveiled in a launch event that took place simultaneously in New York, London and Beijing. The BMW i3 offers drivers a totally new driving experience merging the sporty capability that the brand is known for with a whole new level of efficiency. At the heart of the i3 is an electric motor that generates a maximum output of 125 kW/170 hp and peak torque of 250 Newton metres. This energy is sourced from lithium-ion storage cells integrated into the car’s under floor section and the resulting lower centre of gravity means the car is incredibly easy to handle and is no slouch off the blocks. From a standing start the i3 can reach 60 km/h in 3.7 seconds and reaches 100 km/h in 7.2 seconds. On a single charge you can expect to travel between 130 and 160 kilometres and adding to the convenience is the ability to juice it up using a conventional power socket, BMW I Wallbox or public charging station. US sales for the i3 start in April 2014 with a starting price of $42,350 and already BMW has announced that they have had more than 90,000 requests for test drives.