LOOKS
The i3 is a little car, no doubt; but it’s a little car that has a back seat not meant for midgets. A full-grown adult can fit in here pretty comfortably, which is nice. The door handles for the rear doors are on the inside, which is different. You have to open the front doors first, before being able to open the rear ones -- kind of a goofy setup that could be a bit annoying at times.

The unique exterior look I mentioned earlier will get you lots of looks on the road, as you simply don’t see these vehicles very often. They’re so unlike what we’re used to seeing that it’s quite the conversation starter, wherever you may go. I will admit that this unique look might be for everyone -- some folks might even dare call it ugly -- but i found the design a bit charming in its own way.

The i3’s interior design is wholly unique, with a sharp, clean wood-themed design up front. No, the i3 isn’t up the high-end BMW models in terms of overall materials and quality, but it’s also no slouch at the same time, definitely a step up from what you’d find from the MINI branch of the BMW lineup.

MOTOR
So what gets this futuristic ride moving? It starts with a 125-kilowatt electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack, which will provides 170 horsepower to the i3’s rear wheels.

On the REX model (featuring an optional gasoline-powered range extending generator), you also get a 2.4-gallon fuel tank. While this does ease “range anxiety”, it’s important to note that when you do fall back to the generator and rely on the gas engine, performance is noticeably affected in a negative way. It’s meant as a backup, not something to use every day if you can avoid it.

HOW IS THE DRIVE?
The oddest part of driving the i3 is the braking, as it’s automatically braking for you once you lift off the gas. Do it too fast and it startles you at first, but you soon get used to it. The upshot of all this is you can drive with just one foot, though you may find yourself hitting the brake out of habit for a while. If you're wondering about alerting the cars behind you, once you lift off the gas the brake lights do come on, so other cars are being alerted just as if you had hit the brake.

Overall I was quite impressed with the quality of the drive in the i3. It wasn’t tepid like so many hybrids/electric vehicles can be. You can really get going if you want to and have some fun driving it (though keep in mind that overzealous driving will impact your range, creating more of that “range anxiety”). The improved performance can be traced to the lightweight construction of the i3 compared to other electric vehicles in the segment.

And the quiet -- I can honestly say I’ve never driven a vehicle with a more quiet cabin than I experienced when driving the i3 in electric mode; I’m talking Night Before Christmas, not a creature stirring levels of quiet. It’s almost eerie to be honest, and would be a great feature for teenagers attempting to borrow the car for a late-night joyride. No one would ever hear them leaving or coming home.

TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY
The infotainment screen on the i3 is large and easy to use, and will be familiar to those who know BMW’s iDrive system. Standard features include: Heated front seats, satellite radio. antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control. Rear parking sensors are standard, while options include rearview camera and front parking sensors. An optional Technology + Driving Assistant package features forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and a lane departure warning system.

FUEL MILEAGE
There are several reasons people might want an electric vehicle. Some folks are eco-friendly types and think green. To them, zero-emissions vehicles are part of a mission statement to get away from fossil fuels.

But an even larger amount of people simply don’t like spending money on gas, and they’re arguably as much or more of the electric-car buying crowd than the green movement.

The BMW i3 will officially go up to 81 miles on electric power only, plus adding the range extender (via gasoline) would provide an additional 70 miles of range. So the total between electric and gas is over 150 miles ... Sort of.

Depending how you drive the car, and what mode you drive the car in (there are three options: Comfort, Eco Pro, Eco Pro+), those numbers can dip significantly. Driving on the highway knocks down your range significantly -- this is meant for city driving, not the open road.

Then there is the charging issue. With a 240V charging outlet installed at your home, you can charge the i3 rather quickly (four hours or so), but if you charge like I did via standard 110V wall plug, it will take all night and you still won’t get up to full charge on the vehicle. Not to mention that in most of America, there is very little charging infrastructure on the roads and at workplaces for people who drive these vehicles.

These are the type of details that will delay electric cars from becoming the norm for quite a few years. The day that BMW, or any other automaker, comes up with a vehicle that can go several hundred miles on a charge and not need to be charged every day, that is is when people will really embrace the technology. Until then, “range anxiety” and people not wanting to worry about charging all the time will take over and prevent these type of vehicles from being more than a niche market.

Keep in mind, too, that while you’re not spending on gas in this scenario, there is going to be an impact on your electric bill -- though it will be much less of a cost than filling up at the pump.

In my time with the i3, I charged each night and didn’t venture on long-distance drives (max 70 miles a day), so I only ended up using very few miles on the gas side.

One thing is clear about the i3 (and electric vehicles in general). You’re not going to want to go on any long trips. It’s a city car, or for people with short commutes. Go any further and you’ll be filling up that tiny range-extending gas tank very often.

PRICE
The i3 starts just over $42,000 for electric only version, and tops $46K if you get the REX version; It can go into $50K range if you add features. This is more expensive than most of the electric competition, but it is a BMW so that’s not a surprise.

BOTTOM LINE
As a vehicular experience, I absolutely loved my time in the BMW i3. From its looks to its performance, it’s an example of the great things we can accomplish if we look to the future and try to embrace new technology in relation to how we get around.

If you’re able to afford the $40K+ price tag and want an electric vehicle of luxury quality, it’s probably your best bet, though Mercedes-Benz also has an offering worth checking out as a comparison available in some areas.

In terms of overall popularity, the reality is this type of vehicle will likely remain most popular on the coasts or in other big cities. Mid-America won’t embrace it quite yet, due to range concerns and lack of charging stations away from home.

But that doesn’t mean it’s not a good ride. In fact, it’s pretty awesome if you can afford one and it fits with your lifestyle and driving habits.

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