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      09-03-2012, 01:50 PM   #1
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Post Spied: Production Intent BMW i3 Interior Clearly Seen

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Spied: Production Intent BMW i3 Interior Clearly Seen
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We've spied the production intent BMW i3 interior clearly for the first time. Although it's still in unfinished pre-production form, we can see some major components and design elements that will come on the production i3 when the first are delivered in late 2013.

The dash and console loses much of the futuristic styled full touch-sensitive and buttonless interior of the i3 concept in favor of a more practical and modern-day style BMW dashboard. It does however retain an LCD instrument screen from the concept. The large navigation / iDrive screen can be seen in the upper center console, still shrouded by the cloth covering. The plastic around the steering column will of course be gone by production and the rest of the lower center console added. The steering wheel in the prototype is borrowed from a current 3 series, but the production i3 may get a unique steering wheel (with special badging at the very least).

With its fully electric powertrain, the i3 will be BMW's first mass produced zero emissions car. It's also expected to be the volume production vehicle to market featuring a carbon fiber reinforced plastic internal structure and body. The i3 will provide a good preview of how BMW will reduce vehicle weight in the future through increasing use of CFRP in its vehicles.

The i3 will feature four doors and seating for four occupants with dimensions being slightly larger than the MINI Cooper and BMW 1 Series but smaller than the BMW 3 Series. It will be powered by a newly developed powertrain consisting of a 134 horsepower electric motor running on lithium-ion batteries and driving the rear axle. BMW is aiming to achieve a 160 km (100 mi) range, the same expected for the BMW ActiveE, but in order to reduce weight with a battery capacity of 16 kWh instead of the ActiveE's 30 kWh. A range extended version that functions similarly to the Chevrolet Volt is also being considered by BMW.

The prototype presented at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show has a 22 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that is expected to deliver between 130 to 160 km (80 to 100 miles) and the battery will take about four hours to fully charge from the 240-volt charging unit. The i3 is expected to go from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 60 mph) in less than 8 seconds and 0 to 60 km/h in less than 4 seconds. The top speed will be limited to 150 km/h (93 mph) [See the i3 Concept Full Specs].

Pricing for the i3 has been speculated to start in the 35000-40000 euros range.


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Concept i3 Interior For Comparison

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Prototype i3 (featuring the interior seen above)

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