BMW I3 2014 News

A number of potentially hazardous faults have been identified in vehicles sold in Australia, prompting a wide range of recalls.

BMW is looking to join the ranks of car companies like Tesla and Mercedes-Benz by offering a home energy storage solution based around its vehicle battery technology.

John Carey previews BMW's battle plan for its next 100 years.

The BMW i3 electric car has won Wheels magazine’s latest Car of the Year award even though it conked out during the test because it ran out of power.The oddly shaped $65,000 car which is about the same size as a $15,000 hatchback, is one of the most controversial winners of the world’s oldest Car of the Year award since the Leyland P76 in 1973, the Holden Camira in 1982 and the Honda CR-Z hybrid sports car in 2011, of which fewer than 100 were sold last year.The magazine also admits its latest winner is poor value: “If the i3 has an obvious weakness, it’s value.”BMW sold just 33 examples of its quirky i3 electric car since it was introduced last year. Even the Leyland P76 sold more examples in its first partial year on sale.The BMW i3 was criticised by the magazine because it drained power too quickly after it failed to complete one phase of the test.“BMW could and should do a better job of explaining the range extender functions and the importance of avoiding battery depletion,” the magazine said.However, Wheels editor Glenn Butler defended the decision to hand the award to the BMW i3 and added "It didn't break down ... it ran out of electricity".“We aren’t suggesting this is the car for every Australian,” Mr Butler told News Corp Australia.“Those who do big country kilometres will need something with greater range. But for the average Australian who does just 40km a day, the i3 offers fuel-free, emission-free motoring.”The BMW i3 is not the first winner to run out of fuel. The Ford Falcon that won in 2002 ran dry and had to be refuelled, said Mr Butler.Meanwhile safety advocates have criticised the award because the BMW i3 only scores four stars out of five for safety according to European authorities.Even Wheels magazine admitted: “Like almost any car in production, it could be made a little safer.”However, in earlier awards, Wheels took safety so seriously that in the year 2000, Holden air-freighted a Barina from Europe to Australia because the magazine insisted all contenders have three-point, lap-sash seatbelts.Until Wheels introduced the rule, the Barina at the time had a lap-only belt in the middle back seat. It went on to win the 2001 award.The BMW i3 is the first car with a four-star safety rating to win the award in 10 years.“Questions have been raised about the i3’s four-star (rating),” said the magazine. “There’s no question, however, that the BMW i3 does a good job of protecting its occupants in a crash.”The BMW i3 has seven airbags but it was marked down for having a poor pedestrian safety rating.Last year, 151 pedestrians were killed on Australian roads, accounting for 13 per cent of the total road toll.The head of the Pedestrian Council of Australia Harold Scruby said: “It’s disappointing that such a prestigious award should not take pedestrian safety seriously. When we get out of a car, we’re all pedestrians.”

Car makers are embracing lifestyle hardware as the next step in connecting vehicles with the newest-generation drivers.At the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai displayed apps to remotely interact with the car.There's nothing new in that; car companies have been touting remote apps for years. The difference this year is the focus on linking those apps to "wearables" rather than smart phones (the band/watch is connected to the phone, which remains securely in owners's pocket or handbag).It's all about ease of access and for once car companies are surfing the leading wave of the tech swell, anticipating the arrival of the Apple Watch and the next-gen Android Wear devices will hasten adoption of Dick Tracy-style wristbands.BMW, the most ambitious, integrates some functionality in its i3 electric car, working with a Samsung smart watch and its iRemote software.The functions - from checking the battery level to remotely firing up the aircon - can be accessed using either the touchscreen or by voice recognition.BMW is also researching using the watch to lock and unlock the car's doors using gesture control.BMW says the application "can significantly enhance comfort and convenience not only in the private sphere but also when using the BMW car-sharing program DriveNow".Hyundai's take on how wearables might work includes handing over some of the driver assistance aids to the smartwatch. So it's the watch, rather than the steering wheel, that will vibrate when a driver leaves the lane or another car starts to veer into its space. Likewise, the smartwatch will monitor the user's heart rate and can then automatically stop the car and call emergency services if there are critical changes to the driver's pulse.To varying degrees all of the above systems are production ready, meaning they'll be appearing in vehicles in the near future. Meanwhile, watch this space.

Can the new BMW i3 change the way Australians embrace electric cars?The increase in fuel tax has sparked predictable radio chatter this week about the cost of motoring. Apart from ordinary families facing another belt in the budget, experts from all points of the compass talked about the future of fossil fuel and the hybrid and plug-in electric cars already on the road.One spoke of fuel cell cars that generate on-board electricity (but not of the hydrogen stations needed to keep them going).The reality is that electric cars, despite big talk by everyone up to global head of Nissan-Renault Carlos Ghosn, are struggling for traction across the world.So far this year, only 200 Australians have bought a battery car. We don't know how many are with ordinary motorists or government departments and councils.The big problems for battery cars are obvious: cost and 'range anxiety'. The price problem will never go away until governments are prepared to provide the sort of subsidies that have boosted sales in Europe and the US going back to the original Toyota Prius. The Australian list price for a Leaf is $39,990 - it's similar in size to the Pulsar you can buy for less than $20,000. The Holden Volt is $59,990.Range anxiety is the fear of running short of charge, even though Australians typically commute less than 100km daily.Both challenges came into sharp relief this week as I slid into the latest electric contender, the BMW i3. It's a brilliant car, despite four safety stars, trendy, efficient and drives well.BMW has an optional range-extender engine that lifts the distance between charges to 300km but there is still the problem of price - are people prepared to pay at least $63,900 for a future car that's here and now?

BMW's revolutionary i3 electric and plug-in hybrid models arrive in local showrooms on November 21.After opening the order books in April, BMW's carbon-bodied and electric-powered i3 will finally hit Australian roads on November 21.The i3 will be the first of BMW's new 'i' range of electric and hybrid vehicles to be available for Australian delivery, with the $299,000 i8 petrol-electric coupe not due for delivery until early 2015.Australian i3s will be available in either pure-electric or plug-in hybrid form, with the $63,900 i3 battery electric vehicle (BEV), or the i3 with petrol range extender (REX) for $69,900.Both versions are visually identical, aside for a second fuel-flap on the REX's right-front and 20mm wider 175-section rear tyres.The i3 BEV uses a 125kW/250Nm 'BMW eDrive' electric motor that powers the rear wheels via a single-speed automatic transmission.Charging the 360-volt lithium-ion battery pack takes 11 hours with a standard 10 amp power outlet, or six hours with the optional $1750 'i Wallbox Pure' charge point installed.Charge times drop further when using a ChargePoint public charge point however, taking three hours using an AC point, or as little as 30 minutes with one of the three ChargePoint DC Fast Charger stations currently in Australia.The i3 BEV carries an official range of 160km in 'Comfort' driving mode, which steps up to 200km in the 'Eco Pro+' mode.The i3 REX adds a 650cc two-cylinder petrol engine, which cuts in to charge the batteries when needed and extends the official range to 300km.The i3 REX carries an official combined fuel consumption of 0.6L/100km, with a 9.0-litre fuel tank.Like most electric vehicles, additional battery charge is also harvested from the i3's brakes. The slowing effect of the regenerative braking delivers a side benefit of reduced braking inputs 75 per cent, according to BMW. This should bode well for the lifespan of the i3's brake pads.The i3 uses a similar construction to the more upmarket i8, with a carbon fibre body structure wrapped in plastic external panels, riding on an aluminium chassis.This clever design helps the i3 BEV to tip the scales at just 1195kg, with the petrol hardware of the i3 REX adding 120kg.Both versions of the i3 come with a practical 250-litres of boot space, which expands to 1100-litres with the 50/50 rear seats folded flat. An additional 35-litre storage space is under the bonnet where the engine would normally be found.Standard safety features include six airbags, ABS, stability control, traction control, cruise control, rear-view camera, automated parking assist and front and rear parking sensors.Standard cabin features include wool and leather trim with eucalyptus woodgrain details, 10.3-inch multimedia display,5.5-inch driver instrument display single-zone climate control, auto-dimming mirrors, ISOFIX child seat mounts and 19-inch alloys.BMW's ConnectedDrive system also incorporates voice control, satnav with real-time traffic information, digital radio, Bluetooth, embedded apps and emergency calling.A $2,200 'Driving Assistant Plus' option pack is available, that adds lane departure warning, forward collision and pedestrian warning with autonomous emergency braking (AEB), active cruise control and tyre pressure monitoring.Also available as options are a 20-inch alloys ($1,000), sunroof ($2,920), LED headlights ($1,400), heated front seats ($730), rapid charge adapter ($1,000) and heat pump climate control system ($1,300).

THE Audi A3 small car -- which owes much of its DNA to the Volkswagen Golf -- has won the 2014 World Car of the Year, as voted by 69 jurors from 22 countries. The luxury hatch toppled the widely-tipped favourite, the Mazda3 from Japan, in the awards announced at the New York motor show today.The Audi A3 was among five German cars that took out a cleansweep of the 2014 World Car of the Year categories, and it was Audi’s second win in 10 years, having won the inaugural award. Indeed, German cars have won seven of the past 10 World Car of the Year awards, Japanese brands have won the remaining three.Accepting the award on behalf of the company, Audi's North America president Scott Keogh said: “The Audi A3 has only been on sale three weeks and already it’s off to a flying start.”Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi, said: “This major award win is an achievement that the whole company can celebrate.”The Audi A3 was among 24 finalists that included the BMW i3 electric car, which won the Green Car of the Year and the Car Design of the Year. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class was the Luxury Car of the Year while the Porsche 911 GT3 was awarded top performance car honours.But the Mazda3 had emerged as an early favourite for the outright World Car of the Year award following rave reviews globally since it went on sale late last year. The previous generation Mazda3 has been Australia’s top selling car for two of the past three years, and was the vehicle that ended the Holden Commodore’s record 15-years as the market leader, in 2011.The Mazda3 is returned to the top of the sales charts so far this year -- after being overtaken by the Toyota Corolla in 2013 -- and is likely to take out top-seller status this year buoyed by the new model which went on sale in January.World car of the year winners2014 – Audi A32013 -- Volkswagen Golf Mk72012 -- Volkswagen Up2011 -- Nissan Leaf2010 -- Volkswagen Polo2009 -- Volkswagen Golf Mk62008 -- Mazda22007 -- Lexus LS4602006 -- BMW 3 Series2005 -- Audi A62014 World Car of The Year category winnersGreen car of the Year -- BMW i3 electric carCar Design of the Year -- BMW i3 electric carPerformance Car of the Year -- Porsche 911 GT3Luxury Car of the Year – Mercedes-Benz S-ClassThis reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

BMW has launched its electric 'i' sub-brand in Australia with an event in Sydney to introduce the first cars. On hand was both the all-electric i3 family hatchback and the M1-inspired hybrid supercar.BMW managing director Phil Horton introduced the cars and the pricing for the two model, three variant i3. The i3 will start from $63,900 plus on-roads for the battery-only version and $69,900 for the range-extender version. The i3 will have its local launch in September.The i8 hybrid supercar will launch later, with deliveries expected to begin in December. Prices of around $300,000 are being bandied about by other publications, but nothing has been confirmed.BMW says the electric i3 is capable of 170km on a single charge, with the Range Extender version capable of 300km between charges. Both figures assume extremely careful driving and possibly a force 4 tailwind.The i8 relies a lot more on its turbocharged, three cylinder 1.5 litre engine. The internal combustion unit produces 170kW that, with the front-mounted electric motor slings the i8 to 100km/h in 4.4 seconds and on to a limited 250km/h. You can also pootle for 35km on electric only power and charge it from a powerplug at home.Both cars can be fast-charged with a BMW-supplied wallbox that increases the current and roughly halves the charge time. Before launch the company will also announce its public battery charging partner, expected to be Chargepoint as it's the only one left after Better Place went under.Both cars are built on an aluminium chassis with a carbon fibre bodyshell. Open the doors on either and you can see the carbon fibre weave, giving the cars a lovely handmade feel (in a good way).After you step over the slightly wide sill of the i8 and drop down into the driver's seat, the car is surprisingly spacious. There's plenty of headroom for even those over six feet tall or with extra tall hair.Back seat passengers would have to cross their legs, however. While the seat is incredibly low, the view forward is expansve as the bonnet drops away. Vision to the rear isn't so great, but the reversing camera which is displayed on the standard 10.6-inch screen should sort that out.The doors open like the McLaren F1's in dihedral fashion and are very light to use, with just a little effort to pull them down. Again, if you're of average height, you won't have to hoist yourself out of the seat to reach the handle. Both cars feature what BMW calls "next premium" materials to clothe the interior.The i8's simpler material mix shares a recycled material for doorcappings made from recycled plastics and rubber. It doesn't sound great but actually looks and feels good, with an unusual (for now) texture. The i3 adds to this with woollen and leather upholstery and a wave of open-pore eucalyptus across the dashboard.BMW isn't expecting big sales numbers for either car, with twenty pre-orders for the i3 and 15 for the i8. 

The first BMW electric car has gone on sale in Australia today -- but the German car maker wants Australian taxpayers to cover $10,000 of its $64,000 price, and even get tolls waived on some roads.The BMW i3 will be only the third electric car to be sold in Australia when it arrives in showrooms by the end of the year.  Despite the global push towards electric vehicles, figures show Australians have been slow to embrace petrol-free driving because of the high price of the technology and concerns about being left stranded between power points.Indeed, the first electric car that went on sale in Australia, the Mitsubishi iMiev, has already been withdrawn from showrooms after slow sales. And the second electric car to arrive, the Nissan Leaf, is currently being discounted by almost $20,000 -- to $39,990 drive-away -- in an attempt to give it a jump start.Of the 266,370 vehicles sold in Australia so far this year, just 42 were electric cars, or 0.015 per cent of the market, according to figures from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries. Nevertheless, BMW believes the i3 will reverse the trend and wants taxpayers to help.BMW Australia boss Phil Horton said the company is speaking with state and federal government to make the i3 cheaper.  "Part of the issue that we have in Australia is there are so many layers of government," said Mr Horton. "But we've had initial meetings with Federal Government and those have been quite promising.Mr Horton said BMW Australia was "not asking for a specific subsidy". However, he said: "Our aspiration in the fullness of time is that we would get something like they have in the UK or some other markets where you get either a straightforward $10,000 subsidy because you're buying an electric car, or ... a waiver on some part of the on-road charges." Mr Horton said he was also trying to negotiate "a waiver of tolls on electric cars"."There are whole range of things that (governments) could do, whether or not they will do them is a different thing," said Mr Horton. BMW believes its electric will succeed even though others have failed because it will be available with pure electric power or with a "range extender", a tiny two-cylinder petrol engine that almost doubles the maximum driving range from 160km to 300km."So why is it going to be different for us? Without taking the arrogant overtones of it, we're a premium brand, it's a premium price for the car, but we think it's a premium car," said Mr Horton."I think (Australia) is more ready than it probably has been before. It would certainly help if we had more, and you hear this from all the manufacturers, assistance from government."This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling