Seven months after placing an order sight unseen, yesterday I received my car. And yesterday was my first ever drive in any EV. I may have only had time so far to rack up 100 miles but it's enough that I'm very, very impressed with both the i3 and the electric future of motoring.
There are plenty of reviews around the web so there's not much new I can offer beyond my "feelings". Firstly, it's just a really great drive. Despite being a city car hatchback, it accelerates and handles like, well, like a BMW. And I like the "high up" driving position - I'd worried that it would feel like driving a van. Which, I suppose it sort of does - if it were a van with no body roll and that drove like a BMW!
I was also not 100% on the design. I mean, it's odd, isn't it? But, you know, seeing it parked in the village square or outside my house and it looks "wow" rather than odd. Part of the effect is the contrast of old and new. My village - and my house - is centuries old and the i3 looks like a landed spacecraft. The interior is equally great. I went for the leather trim and wooden dash - and it all just works; it's a great place to sit. The strange recycled trim elements are innocuous to the eye (which is, imo, fortunate!)
Build quality is top notch. Not a hint of a rattle or squeak. Not a stitch out of place. Everything as you'd expect in a new premium car.
Right now, the car is filling up in the garage. That's a good feeling. I suspect that just knowing that you're fully fueled every morning must be one of those EV-factors that stop people from returning to dino-juice. That and being able to remotely or automatically heat, cool or defrost. I've not really had a chance to test the max range or the accuracy of the range predictor but both seem satisfactory and nothing to worry about. Depending on my settings (heat, eco-ness etc) it offers between 75-105 miles of electric range.
I say "electric range" because I have the REx range extender - which adds another 60-80 miles (I think) or so. I've not tried it in anger with a flat battery but, having an EU spec car, was able to fire it up on the motorway. It was unnoticable at motorway speeds. I was concerned that it wasn't working - as I could hear absolutely nothing. However, the energy monitor showed it was chuntering away and supplying electrons as intended.
Most importantly, the rest of the family love it. My wife (who'll be the main driver) was wary at first but came back from a run out today with a broad grin and thumbs-up. My children are hard core environmentalists and techno-buffs and are rather chuffed to be ahead of their peer group of eco first adopters.
All in all, 48 hours has shown my gamble at ordering car, for which they hadn't even finished building the factory, to be a bet I have comfortably won!
There are plenty of reviews around the web so there's not much new I can offer beyond my "feelings". Firstly, it's just a really great drive. Despite being a city car hatchback, it accelerates and handles like, well, like a BMW. And I like the "high up" driving position - I'd worried that it would feel like driving a van. Which, I suppose it sort of does - if it were a van with no body roll and that drove like a BMW!
I was also not 100% on the design. I mean, it's odd, isn't it? But, you know, seeing it parked in the village square or outside my house and it looks "wow" rather than odd. Part of the effect is the contrast of old and new. My village - and my house - is centuries old and the i3 looks like a landed spacecraft. The interior is equally great. I went for the leather trim and wooden dash - and it all just works; it's a great place to sit. The strange recycled trim elements are innocuous to the eye (which is, imo, fortunate!)
Build quality is top notch. Not a hint of a rattle or squeak. Not a stitch out of place. Everything as you'd expect in a new premium car.
Right now, the car is filling up in the garage. That's a good feeling. I suspect that just knowing that you're fully fueled every morning must be one of those EV-factors that stop people from returning to dino-juice. That and being able to remotely or automatically heat, cool or defrost. I've not really had a chance to test the max range or the accuracy of the range predictor but both seem satisfactory and nothing to worry about. Depending on my settings (heat, eco-ness etc) it offers between 75-105 miles of electric range.
I say "electric range" because I have the REx range extender - which adds another 60-80 miles (I think) or so. I've not tried it in anger with a flat battery but, having an EU spec car, was able to fire it up on the motorway. It was unnoticable at motorway speeds. I was concerned that it wasn't working - as I could hear absolutely nothing. However, the energy monitor showed it was chuntering away and supplying electrons as intended.
Most importantly, the rest of the family love it. My wife (who'll be the main driver) was wary at first but came back from a run out today with a broad grin and thumbs-up. My children are hard core environmentalists and techno-buffs and are rather chuffed to be ahead of their peer group of eco first adopters.
All in all, 48 hours has shown my gamble at ordering car, for which they hadn't even finished building the factory, to be a bet I have comfortably won!
