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      04-01-2017, 11:51 AM   #48
afadeev
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Quote:
Originally Posted by -c- View Post
Right I know what your saying, I don't know why people keep calling it a sub compact, it's technically not a sub compact, a mini is compact but the i3 is the same foot print as a 1 / 2 series BMW and don't really here any body call it a compact car.
This raises an interesting question about definitions of "full" vs. "compact" vs. "sub-compact" cars. Something I had never figured out despite dozens of car rental interactions.

EPA defines "sub-compact" as anything shorter than 165 inches (4,191 mm) in length, but larger than "microcar", which is 118 inches (3m or 3,000 mm) in length.

i3's length is 157.4, so it definitely qualifies as a sub-compact.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subcompact_car


Quote:
Originally Posted by -c- View Post
Also the interior space is equivalent to a 3 series with 5 series interior quality. With the leather wrapped dash and cool modern materials.
Sorry, i3 is definitely smaller than 3-series in interior space.
Particularly in the back, where i3's legroom and shoulder space are only adequate for kids.

I can tell you from the first hand experience that M3's interior (dash, seats, plastic components) are of much higher quality than i3's. That may be (and likely is) different for base model 320i's, but M3's materials are significantly nicer than anything in i3.
I haven't been in a 5-series in years, so can't comment on that.


For comparison:
.................................................. i3 ................... M3
Headroom (in): ........................ 39.6 ............... 40.3
Legroom, front/rear (in): ......... 40.5 / 31.9..... 42.0 / 35.1
Shoulder room, front/rear (in): 53.6 / 49.2..... 55.1 / 55.1

As a reference point for legroom, most airlines have between 28" - 32" of legroom in economy class. We are talking airline seat experience in the back of an i3.

I also looked at 2-series #s, and they are all larger than i3's in all categories as well.

So i3 is the smallest interior BMW you can buy in the US as of today (i8's numbers are much larger than i3's or M3's in the front, but smaller than i3's in the rear).

This is not to say that i3 is cramped - it is perfectly large enough for adults in the front seats. But the rear passenger space (never mind access) is cramped at best.


Quote:
Originally Posted by -c- View Post
I have a premium small house, only 1000 sq feet but worth 500k so I don't see why people always see size as luxury. I see it as wasted space. If I want lots of space I have outside
Agreed.

There is nothing wrong with small things - I lived in smaller apartments that your house in NYC, and there is nothing cheap about them
We all chose to buyer smaller cars for a reason, so nothing wrong with that.



Quote:
Originally Posted by -c- View Post
Funny thing is tesla [...] not leaps and bounds over anybody else really, it's battery teck is also old teck compared to some other ev's
I was mostly referring to autopilot capabilities, whereby Tesla's gen-1 autopilot is still unmatched by anyone else in the industry.
Meanwhile, Tesla has been rolling out gen-2 autonomous driving hardware since October of 2016. Model 3 will have gen-2 hardware as well.

Not to say that auto-pilot is be-all automotive tech, but it is pretty cool. The fact that Tesla's got it, and BMW and Merc still can't catch up (stuck on Mobileye cameras) is shockingly sad.

Tesla also did manage to package a much higher power density of 250 Watt/kg battery into Model S (started with 117 in Roadster 10 years ago) than BMW with 95 Watt/kg in i3.

http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2015/09...ercialize.html

Quote:
Originally Posted by -c- View Post
But don't mess with tesla owners it's like shaking a hornets nest. It's a religion with them and they will get mean! Some of them anyway
Very true.
It's impossible to have a critical discussion with that crowd.
Way worse than some V/Bolt fans trolling in this forum...

Quote:
Originally Posted by -c- View Post
Here is an interesting read on the batteries

https://cleantechnica.com/2016/07/16...teries-better/
Good read, thanks.

a
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