With the 2017 facelift, the BMW i3 (l01) stops feeling like a brilliant but sometimes compromised pioneer and turns into a much more rounded electric car. It keeps the carbon cell, aluminium structure and unusual packaging, but it now meets the later Nissan Leaf with range that is finally credible for everyday use. This phase also introduces the i3s, which is wider, firmer and more convincing to drive.
The core of this update is first the 94 Ah / 33 kWh battery, then from late 2018 the 120 Ah / 42.2 kWh pack, both without changing the overall footprint. The standard i3 stays at 125 kW and 170 hp, the i3s rises to 135 kW and 184 hp, and some markets still keep the W20K06U0 Range Extender alive. On this generation, maintenance judgement should focus on high-voltage battery health, preconditioning, cooling via the air-conditioning system, AC/DC charging consistency and the behaviour of the single-speed reduction gear.