Photo: BMW
BMW have recently opened the world’s first dedicated store for their ‘i’ sub-brand, in London. Along with the new ‘i Store’, BMW have also unveiled an updated version of the i3 concept, now featuring its very own very compact, yet fully sized bicycle, called the Pedelec (a combination of the words Pedal Electric and Cycle). The updated i3 features new interior materials from renewable sources, with eucalyptus wood, leather and even wool which is naturally dyed, now present inside the city-bound EV.
The Pedelec can be easily folded up and the i3’s boot can fit two of them in, in their folded-up position. Its electric motor is capable of propelling the it to a top speed of 25.6 km/h (16 mph), has a maximum range of around 32 km (20 miles) and requires 1 hour and 30 minutes to be fully charged. If the driver so chooses, he or she can also charge the bike while it’s stored in the i3’s boot, taking its power from the BMW’s on-board battery pack. It is an interesting initiative by BMW, and it may be offered as an optional extra, and we’d definitely tick that box if we were to (hypothetically) buy one.
If, for instance, you’d find yourself in a traffic jam which is not moving, you will be able to park your car on the side of the road (safely) and then arrive at your destination in time and with the aid of the bike’s electric motor, you won’t be doing much pedaling, so you won’t arrive at your destination a sweaty mess. So, despite the recent negative rumors, BMW still seem to be on track with their 'i' program and we are very interested in seeing the final production version of the i3 which will go on sale in 2013.
The Pedelec can be easily folded up and the i3’s boot can fit two of them in, in their folded-up position. Its electric motor is capable of propelling the it to a top speed of 25.6 km/h (16 mph), has a maximum range of around 32 km (20 miles) and requires 1 hour and 30 minutes to be fully charged. If the driver so chooses, he or she can also charge the bike while it’s stored in the i3’s boot, taking its power from the BMW’s on-board battery pack. It is an interesting initiative by BMW, and it may be offered as an optional extra, and we’d definitely tick that box if we were to (hypothetically) buy one.
If, for instance, you’d find yourself in a traffic jam which is not moving, you will be able to park your car on the side of the road (safely) and then arrive at your destination in time and with the aid of the bike’s electric motor, you won’t be doing much pedaling, so you won’t arrive at your destination a sweaty mess. So, despite the recent negative rumors, BMW still seem to be on track with their 'i' program and we are very interested in seeing the final production version of the i3 which will go on sale in 2013.
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