Although it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, there’s no denying that the new BMW i3 is a pioneer. With such a bold and innovative design, this ground-breaking EV feels more like a concept car. With its radical lightweight construction, intelligent integration of apps and mobile devices and sleek, streamlined interior, the i3 certainly stands out from the crowd. Those who’ve experienced the i3 so far have declared it a totally new experience for BMW drivers, one that sets the bar high for clean mobility and sustainable development.
The i3 is composed of a Life Module inner bodyshell of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), with an aluminum Drive Module chassis that houses the lithium-ion batteries and carries the thermoplastic body panels. But it’s not just technological ingenuity that makes this new EV so remarkable. The design and appearance are like nothing the car industry has ever seen.
BMW Group designers Adrian van Hooydonk, Richard Kim and Benoit Jacob, worked together on designing the i3 for five years, stated that they wanted to ‘remove visual weight from the car’ – namely streamline the design to compliment the i3’s pioneering technologies. The name they chose to describe the technique used to lighten the bulk of the car’s outline was the ‘black hand’, said Mr. van Hooydonk. “The hood, as you see, is black, and the same material runs over the roof and to the back,” he explained. “This helps us divide up the volume.” He said the black, glasslike surface was intended to recall the face of a mobile phone – when the taillights or other elements illuminate, the effect is like switching the phone on.
The i3 is reminiscent of the Audi A2, and is branded by strong DLO graphics and large wheels. The BMW ‘i’ brand casts off traditional BMW designs – both externally and internally – to bring us a fresher, cleaner way of thinking that centres on a feeling of light and space.
The biggest visual deviation in the i3 design is the removal of the fully glazed doors. Since the i3’s rear windows dip low into the doors, there is no real belt line, unlike the classic BMW M Series cars. The lines of the windows in the i3 now appear to flow, which has since become known as ‘stream flow’ design. As admirers have noted, the stream flow pattern is derived from the i8 sports car, and it also helps disguise the height and bulkiness of the vehicle.
Norbert Reithofer, chairman of BMW’s board of management, said on the i3 “The car industry has waited well over a century for its own revolution,” and with its radical design and innovative features, it seems that time has finally come.