Up To The Task? Confessions Of A Tesla And Volt Owner About The New BMW i3

I saw one of these parked outside the hotel here in Leiden. As much as I disliked it in pictures, I have to admit, it's actually quite good looking. And here in the Netherlands, it makes perfect sense with the rest of the cars on the road.

However, I also saw someone in the Haag driving the concept blue and white i8. Maybe it's just the color and location, but the driver looked like an absolute tool bag driving the thing amongst the Audis and Mercedes. It did not fit in very well.

Saw one last weekend. Was a bit odd, but also pretty cool. But $50K is a bit steep.

How is it a bit steep? Carbon Fiber body, technology advanced, sustained material, 2800 lbs and only $50k. Yet the Tesla Owner is comparing this to his car that cost 2x as much at almost $100,000 for a Model S version? I don't get it. That is like me comparing the Mercedes E-class to the New S-class. Of course I am going to say the S-class is a better and nicer car. It should be........

dumb article, yet another flame inducing article by autospies ...

It's a bit steep because a Ford Focus or a Golf are HALF the price and that is the type of vehicle you are getting once past the BS of the "it's electric and I'm green" stupidity.

For the last 32 years my daily drivers have all weighed less that 3,000 pounds. BMW hasn't been able to deliver a car in this weight class since the mid 1990's. The closest BMW to my car is 1000 lbs heavier, so BMW has a long way to go.

If your main buying decision is plug-in capability, there just aren't too many cars to compare in this category. The Tesla S starts at just under $70K. For the $25K more that it costs, you get a very nice looking and proven sedan with more passenger comfort, more trunk space and a chassis/engine that out handles a BMW M5.

The Base Tesla starts at $70k, yet this owner has a Model S which starts at $95k and is comparing it to a $50k I-3.

Maybe I am confused. Yet I am not sure you are familiar with Tesla???

A base Model s 60 with a range of 208 miles and 0 to 60 in 5.9 seconds is $69,900 base

A model S 85 with range of 265 and 0 to 60 in 5.4 seconds is $79,900 base

A Model S p85 with a 265 range and 0 to 60 in 4.2 seconds is $93,400 base price .....

A BMW I-3 with range extender at 180 miles and 0 to 60 in 7.9 seconds is $45,400 ... That is a huge difference .... I can save $25k to get similar performance and range ....

"chassis/engine that out handles a BMW M5"

No it doesn't, please provide proof.

A Model S has similar performance to the ass ugly I-3? I doubt anyone of this site is going to believe that statement.

As to the M5 comment, came from a man that knows more about performance and car handling that 99% of the people on this site:
http://www.autospies.com/news/Christian-von-Koenigsegg-Becomes-The-Proud-Owner-Of-A-New-Tesla-80154/

That is your opinion about the looks department. Yet the fact remains that the I-3 is not competing directly with the Tesla. The Tesla is a mid $70k car being compared to a $45k car. I would expect a big difference ....

From a performance aspect unless the Tesla S is performing in the mid 3's, then may have something there.

On a track there is no comparison. The only track the Tesla S P85 ran on was at Laguna Seca and it finished 75 of 95 lap times. Well short of the BMW M6, M3, 1M and so on ....

It doesnt outhandle the BMW M5 and it is not even close

OK, Tesla S doesn't compete on price. Why would anyone pay $10K more for this over a volt for similar performance?

VOLT 9.1 sec

BMW i3 6.9 sec

Not to mention the i3 weighs 855 lbs less.

The Volt is not 100% electric and only gets 38 miles on full hybrid mode. Plus the Volt is just over 1.5 seconds slower than the Regular I-3 and 1 second slower than the I-3 Range extender .... Also they are not building the Volt anymore ....

When did they stop building the Volt ?

I thought GM has stopped selling the car due to the electrical issues and are reintroducing it for 2015 or maybe that is when the body style changes. My bad then as they are still selling it ...

Got to love the anamorphic logic of fan boys! BMWm4 Quote: "A BMW I-3 with range extender at 180 miles and 0 to 60 in 7.9 seconds is $45,400 ... That is a huge difference .... I can save $25k to get similar performance and range."

A base Model s 60: 0-60 in 5.9 seconds, or 2.0 seconds faster equals "similar performance" in your words.

BMWm4 Quote: "The Volt is not 100% electric and only gets 38 miles on full hybrid mode. Plus the Volt is just over 1.5 seconds slower than the Regular I-3"

Paraphrase - When comparing to the volt at 1.5 seconds slower, the I3 is significantly better performing. Certainly worth $10K more for that extra 1.5 sec that most considering the I3 could care less about.

And when did BMW fans care about weight - - - some of the heaviest cars in their class. I have had various BMWs in my garage for over 25 years now - - - they can do better than this.

Actually a fan of all luxury cars, yet when you make generic comparisons as comparing the Tesla to the I-3 as they are nothing alike.

Is performance and weight balance very important in how a car handles? In the electric car comparisons to the Volt, Leaf and Prius the I-3 is not only more sturdy of a frame, and alot stiffer as well as lighter due to the Carbon Fiber body that allows better acceleration as well as better drive. From a performance aspect, I like to have my cake and eat it too. Why with an Electric car do I have to settle for one or the other? Why can I not have both affordability, performance and fuel savings wrapped into one vehicle?

At the moment there is no other electric car on the market that offers Performance, Affordability and Fuel Efficiency as the BMW I-3 does ... Name one other car?? The Tesla fully equipped is almost $80k in the 60 series car ....

$25k savings is alot of money. And it is affordable ... You bring up BMW as being some of the heaviest cars in their perspective classes. Obviously you havent been keeping up with the competition as you would know that is not true and the fact that across the board the BMW models tend to be the most fuel efficient as well as performing .....

3-series is lighter, faster and more fuel efficient than every competitor on the market ... The 4-series coupe is the same way. The 5-series is a little heavier that the Audi by 50 lbs, the 7-series is 27 lbs heavier than the S550 .... Most of the M cars are lighter such as the New M3 / M4 which is ALOT lighter and faster than the competition, the M5 is about a dead heat with the E63 ,

For 32 years my daily commuter car has been under 3,000 lbs. Last I looked, BMW hasn't made a car this light since the mid-90s. The current BMW equivalent of my car weighs in at 600 lbs more, costs the same and gets lower fuel economy.

I like the wheels...but the profile is a design disaster.

My understanding is THAT if you're considering an electric sports car, get the Tesla Model S. It goes really fast, gets you 200+ miles on a full charge. Pay the $70k base price.

If you looking for a more average practical ride in a BMW "packaged" setup, the i3 is for you at $50k entry-price. I would think THAT any number of consumers would compare the i3 to the Volt or Prius lines of hybrid/electric vehicles. Yeah, the BMW i3 does costs more, but you get a lot of weight-saving & fuel/power management tech as well.

The Tesla/Volt owner's argument is somewhat valid b/c he has a Chevy Volt (which the Cadillac ELR is heavily based on, right) - should be cross-shopped with the i3 if not with the ELR b/c of entry pricing & battery range. It's clear THAT the Tesla costs more largely due to a much higher driving range on electric power only. Being able to drive further THAN the i3 (extend range model) using battery power is probably worth the apparent premium pricing. Also consider the diesel/electric M-B B-class.

It was just interesting to hear that the i3 does get noticed by other electric & hybrid car owners.

If anyone hasn't read an official review in the automotive press, please do. BMW has done an amazing job with tech in the i3, but that tech is expensive and the car is designed as a city car-- it is not a performance oriented vehicle in any way. I recall reading in R&T how sloppy the handling really is. Just because it's made by BMW doesn't mean it drives like our performance enthusiast concept of how a BMW drives. Can't think of any good reason to cross shop this car and a Tesla. Tesla's Model S (and in particular the high capacity version) is designed as a performance oriented vehicle that happens to be electric and size wise competes nicely with BMW 5/Audi 6&7/Merc E classes. It drives amazingly well with respect to acceleration and handling (despite the weight) and the brakes apparently don't give you the grabby regen feel (I haven't driven one yet).

Reasons I can think of to buy an i3: You've got the cash, you think it's cool, you think you're saving the planet, you've got places to charge up, and you only drive from stop light to stop light in 30mph traffic and almost never on fun curvy open roads.

I think you need to take a broader world view of the i3's demographic. What you say may be true in the US, given the commuting distances involved. I could get away with using an i3 everyday charging and only charging it once a week, and as with most European towns, I'm never more than a mile from some fun roads. The i3 does drive well, it's outright performance is less than the Tesla, but throwing well over 2 tonnes of car around fun b-roads in the UK isn't as fun as it sounds. It's also not about thinking you're saving the planet, it's about saving a butt-load of money in taxes!

I think you can't compare these two cars directly, in isolation, both do what they do very well, it's just a question of which suits your needs better.