BMW i3 Coupe Concept revealed

BMW has revealed the i3 Coupe Concept ahead of its debut at this week’s Los Angeles Auto Show, a 3-door version of the BMW i3.

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Whether BMW are still intent on pursuing the electric car assiduously, or whether they are going the more pragmatic route of a range-extender, is still not clear.

But what is clear is that BMW see a big future in small, economical city cars and the BMW i3 Coupe Concept is a slightly odd effort to inject a bit more flair in to the yet-to-arrive BMW i3.

The i3 Coupe Concept is a plug-in EV with a maximum output of 170hp and an almost disappointing (for an electric motor) 174lb/ft of torque, which delivers drive to the back wheels through a single speed transmission (as you would expect for an EV).

BMW has dialled in three driving modes in an effort to give drivers the choice of performance or range, with the familiar COMFORT, ECO PRO and ECO PRO+ modes with claims that switching from COMFORT to ECO PRO delivers 20 per cent greater range (but they don’t say how much more sluggish the i3 Coupe feels when ECO PRO is dialled in).

The ECO PRO+ mode goers even further and limits top speed to 56mph, flattens the throttle response and turns down anything that uses juice – like the AirCon – to minimum consumption and anything that’s just an option – like seat heating, mirror heating and daytime driving lights – gets turned off completely.

There’s lots of carbon fibre bits to keep the I3 coupe’s weight down, it rides on the same platform as the regular i3, has a cabin full of natural, sustainable materials and is a complete ‘Green Dream’.

Even if it will probably cost as much as an M3.