BMW i3 94Ah Electric Car

One of the great things about electric cars is their technological development is occurring faster than any other historical automotive improvement. New tech means ever faster electric cars, more efficiency and range.

Tesla has demonstrated this beautifully with the Model S. When launched, the top of the range model was the P85+. It boasted a 4.2 second 0-62mph sprint time and with its 85kWh battery pumping energy to its single rear drive motor, it was capable of 312-miles. Tesla soon introduced the dual-motor option that bizarrely managed to not only improve acceleration, but also range too. In contrast to the good old mechanical transfer box that typically weighs a vehicle down and makes it less economical, Tesla had managed to create an all-wheel drive car that was more efficient than its two-wheel drive brethren. A little while later and Tesla’s boffins were at it again, this time having enhanced a fuse. This non-descript piece of hardware, apparently, was the key to unlocking even more performance potential and despite an astronomical asking price of $10,000, with it the toptier Model S was now capable of 0-62mph in less than 3 seconds. Of course, all the while Tesla had improved the battery too and it’s now up to 100kWh, packed into the same space as the original 85.

What’s this all got to do with BMW? Well, on launch, the i3 received rave reviews for its cute looks, fantastic drivability, one pedal operation, carbon-fibre build and quirky doors. There was a whole host of reasons why the i3 is the best electric car on the market. However, one slight disappointment was its range. With a relatively small battery pack, the i3 never managed to get much further than 100-miles to a full charge with a careful driver, in summer with nothing else turned on. Officially, the range was rated at 118-miles. It was a challenge to market the car to inter-city travellers, to say the least. The infrastructure was also poorly equipped with CCS charge points and it was generally difficult to travel from