BMW’s 2017 i3 is actually two very different cars: this is actually a review of two i3 models, not one. The entry-level car is all-electric, with a 170 HP motor packing 184 lb-ft of torque and, new for 2017, a 33 kWh li-ion battery. On top of that, though, you can have the BMW i3 with Range Extender, which adds a 2-cylinder gas engine.
In a way that makes the i3 a hybrid, but the way it uses its gas engine is very different to most such cars. Rather than relying on it to power the wheels, BMW instead treats it as a portable generator. When you’re low on battery, the Range Extender starts up and begins to charge it.
It’s a clever system, not to mention a good backup for longer trips when a single charge can’t be relied upon to get you all the way from A to B. The EPA rates the regular i3 as good for up to 114 miles. The i3 with Range Extender has a slightly shorter all-electric range, at a quoted 97 miles, but with a full tank of gas you can extend that to 180 miles. I spent about a week with each to see how they compared.
…
Read full post here:
https://www.slashgear.com/2017-bmw-i3-vs-i3-with-range-extender-review-06498635/