Our Fleet Test Drive: BMW i3 - 10th report

Date: 19 November 2015   |   Author: Guy Bird

Why we're running it: To see if this EV cuts in beyond the theory Equipment: 6 airbags, stability and cornering brake control, hill-start assist, auto aircon, electric windows, leather-covered multi-function steering wheel, satnav, Bluetooth hands-free facility with USB, 50:50 split-fold rear seats, rear park distance control, 19in streamline star alloys, halogen headlights Options: Lodge trim (£1500), 19in turbine alloys (£680), Harmon Kardon hi-fi (£640), DC rapid charge prep (£560), silver metallic paint (£530), Enhanced Bluetooth with USB (£350), internet (£95) Media Package - BMW Professional (£960), Park assist package inc. colour reversing cam (£790), Winter package inc. heated front seats (£260), Online Entertainment (£190)

Turns out it was the 40-minute lift home - in an internal combustion-engined (ICE) car, allegedly driven a little jerkily by a friend's dad - that almost brought my daughters' lunch up. It's true, they have always been prone to car sickness, although I've only had one full-blown incident in-car - and that was years ago.

Maybe the BMW i3's super-smooth ride and general lack of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) has made them 'go soft', but the difference between the relatively new compact ICE crossover and the electric-powered i3 (used on the trip to camp) was stark.

Of course, individual driving style is a factor, but due to the way the i3's EV works its regenerative magic, it subtly influences any driver to change to a more coasting, momentum-based approach. It's an under-reported asset of any EV, and coupled with the great view and feeling of space from the i3's rear seats - enabled by the deliberately dipped window line at that point - it's a generator of genuine feel-good factor for potentially car-sick young ones.

Verdict
	Serene drive Great interior		Learning new driving and refuelling skills

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