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BMW i3 Tech Specs Officially Unveiled

On July 29th, BMW will be officially presenting to the world, the first all-electric car they ever built, revolutionizing the way people look at EVs. Until that moment will finally be upon us, the German company decided to let us know what to expect.
BMW i3 1 photo
Photo: BMW
In that regard, we can now talk official numbers about the i3, without any kind of suppositions or presumptions. The real facts are here.

The i3 will be using an electric motor that develops 170 HP and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) of torque, both of them available from the first moment you press the pedal. This engine weights only 50 kg (110 lbs) and is hooked up to a single speed transmission.

There will also be a 'Range Extender' feature available that consists of a two-cylinder 650cc motorcycle engine that acts as a generator and is mounted near the electric motor, on top of the rear axle. Without the range extender, the lithium-ion battery will keep the car going for 80 to 100 miles (130-160 km). With the range extender, the car reaches a total autonomy of 160-180 miles (250-300 km).

Since this is still a BMW, dynamics and acceleration times are still important, even though this car won't be used for racing or in competitions. The i3 reaches 60 km/h (35 mph) in 3.5 seconds, whilst the 0-96 km/h (60 mph) acceleration is done with in 7 seconds, pretty good numbers for a car that is meant to be as eco-friendly as possible.

Being designed for city use, the i3 has an impressively small turning circle of 32.3 ft or 9.86 meters and it need only 2 and a half wheel turns for a lock-to-lock maneuver. Thanks to the way the car was designed and the fact that the batteries and integrated into the floor, the i3 has near perfect 50:50 weight distribution.

Sounds impressive? Stay tuned as we'll bring you some first impressions on how the car drives later on.
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