BMW Launches i3 With a 94Ah Battery

The BMW i3 was launched almost 3 years ago and was due for an update. Rather than going in for cosmetic changes, the i3 now gets a bigger battery which means better range on a single charge and reduces CO2 emissions.

(BMW i3 gets a battery pack with bigger capacity)

BMW has now put in a 94Ah battery in place of the current battery which is rated at 60Ah. The new battery now has a capacity of 33kWh, thanks to higher storage density of lithium-ion cells. This means that despite having more energy, the size of the battery remains unchanged and therefore, no structural changes were required. The high voltage battery in the i3 is made up of 8 modules. Each of them has 12 individual cells. The li-ion cells can last over the lifetime of the vehicle and have a high energy density. BMW customers receive an 8-year or 1.6 lakh kilometres warranty on the battery. As we mentioned earlier, the range of the i3 has now increased to over 300 kilometres, almost 50 per cent more than its previous range. The motor now produces 170 bhp and 250Nm of torque. The 0-100kmph sprint is done in 7.3 seconds and the i3 hits a maximum of 150kmph. The i3 now gets a DC Rapid-Charger as standard. The car can be now charged from a fully drained battery to full in less than 3 hours, despite the fact that the capacity of the battery has went up by more than 30 per cent.

BMW is also offering a host of customisation option for the i3. The interior trims can now be specified separately from a choice of 4 packages, which are Loft, Lodge, Suite and New Atelier. The materials used in these packages are a mix of wood, wool, naturally treated leather and other renewable raw materials. Also, the Frozen Blue and Metallic Grey paint scheme, which was earlier available only on the BMW i8, can now be specified for the i3 as well. Deliveries of the BMW i3 94Ah will begin in July 2016.