New 2018 BMW i3 & i3s Compared: Full Specs, Massive Gallery, Video

By: Mark Kane

Aug 30, 2017 at 10:00am ET

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In Frankfurt for the 2017 IAA autoshow, BMW will officially present the new i3 and i3s (sport version) in the flesh. And while the standard i3 doesn't change much in appearance or performance, the i3s not only has several design clues, it is a quicker package all around.

BMW has decided to increase the motor output in the i3s from 125 kW to 135 kW, and at the same time increase the maximum torque from 250 Nm to 270 Nm.

However that doesn't tell us the whole story, as the motor also has much more torque at higher revs for better acceleration when overtaking at speed.

0-37 mph: 3.7 s (i3s) vs 3.8 s (i3)

0-62 mph: 6.9 s (i3s) vs 7.3 s (i3)

50-75 mph: 4.3 s (i3s) vs 5.1 s (i3)

The top speed of the i3s is also slightly increased - to 100 mph / 160 km/h.

What do you think?

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The battery... well, BMW continues to focus on the relatively new 94 Ah cells and 33.2 kWh battery packs (27.2 kWh usable). We believe that the next battery capacity upgrade (120 Ah) is still a full model year away, which might be a letdown for some who were hoping to see it this Fall.

Below: Highlights/graphics charting all of the changes for 2018, as well as the full specifications on both models, with and without the range-extender. As well as a massive new photo gallery and videos on the 2018 BMW i3/i3s.