The BMW i3s had its Indian debut at Auto Expo 2018
in February and was spied on the road just last month. In the latest, Facebook
page Elite Car Club Kolkata has posted images of two units of the EV snapped in
Kolkata.
BMW has said that it is evaluating the i3s for
India, and the chances are that it is showing cars privately to dealers and
customer to get feedback. The launch, if given the green signal, may take place
only next year, as this year, the i8 Roadster is arriving.
The BMW i3s was introduced with the original model’s
mid-cycle update. The s variant has a sportier styling with tweaks such as
accent strips on the front apron, accent in the kidney grille, exclusive
20-inch alloy wheels, black wheel arch borders and distinctive rear bumper with
wider inlay. Also, it has a 40 mm wider track and sports suspension that drops
the ride height by 10 mm.
The BMW i3s sports a high-performance 184 PS
electric motor that develops a maximum torque of 270 Nm. A 353V 94 Ah/33 kWh
Li-ion battery pack located low in the vehicle floor powers the electric motor.
Customers can choose from two configurations: i3s
and i3s with Range Extender. The latter adds a 647 cc two-cylinder petrol
engine (38 PS/56 Nm) that drives the generator that produces power as required
while driving to maintain a constant level of charge in the battery. The Range
Extender model offers stress-free driving on highways as there’s little to
worry about the situation in which the battery runs out of charge.
The i3s and i3s with Range Extender’s pure electric
range as per WLTP test cycle are 235-245 km and 185-195 km respectively.
According to BMW range measurements in everyday driving (urban), their total
driving range is up to 200 km and up to 330 km* respectively. At Auto Expo
2018, only the i3s was on display. If launched, the BMW i3s will become India's
most expensive pure electric car. It could cost well over INR 70
lakh (ex-showroom) here, making it another niche BMW model.
