Quote:
Originally Posted by IcemanNorway
With 125Ah batteries and 400k, let's hope BMW i branch will get rid of the gasoline engine and tank for good.
Use the space in the back where the REX system is for the stuff that is now in front and fit an extra engine in front instead.
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The tiny gas tank doesn't take much space, nor is much of an obstacle to sales.
What does take a significant amount of space is the REX engine. BMW could reclaim that space to put more batteries on board of BEV cars. But they don't, and they won't.
It boils down to the extra cost, and the fact that another +10-15% more battery capacity would bump the cost of the car up, and make it that much harder to sell. And frankly, +10-15% capacity bump is not enough.
Quote:
Originally Posted by IcemanNorway
A xDrive i3 would be super cool and really needed for the "s" models to get some traction. 
Also for safer regenerating in wintertime. |
It would be cool, but likely pointless.
i3, as much as I like mine, has become noncompetitive with its price vs. range value proposition.
Since i3 was launched 3 years ago, the market has evolved way quicker than Munich was prepared to react. Normally, BMWs have ~7 year life-cycle. With the rate of EV and battery technological innovation, i3 went from compelling to forgotten in 3 years.
I can guarantee you no traditional automaker was prepared for that!
Without a larger chassis to accommodate a 2x physically larger (60+ kWh) battery (+33% capacity increments from battery density wont' do), i3 has become a fish out of water. It is now book-ended by much longer range competitors: Bolt (cheaper built, but lower price) and Model S (higher quality throughout, a bit higher price).
Another engine would bring its price closer to Model S, but without the range and luxury. It wont reverse the downward sales spiral of the i3. So the project wont get the funding.
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