i3 Concept Coupé (Germany, 2012)

BMW has revealed a concept for a three-door version of the i3 at the LA Auto Show with a body made from carbon fiber and carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) panels, the i3 concept coupe.

The design is heavily inspired by the previous i3s shown, but it is obviously a coupe. The rear side windows are larger than the door windows, and BMW’s designers incorporated and exaggerated version the famous Hofmeister Kink into the window panel. It also has exposed carbon fiber along the doorframes and roof when the doors are opened. BMW wants to not only show of its advanced technology but believes that it communicates safety. The CFRP panels also allow for enough safety to mean that a B-pillar is not necessary, which is a first in the modern era on such a small car.

Despite the colorful exterior, the interior is simply black and white, but BMW says that it is production-ready. Still, it offers a combination of leather, wool and wool. The point of this is to use sustainable materials that still offer luxury. The rear seats two passengers.

Two LCD screen, a 6.5in screen for gauges and an 8.8in screen for infotainment, handle the car’s functions. The navigation system is synched with the car's drive system and can tell the driver whether the desired destination is within the car's range and estimates the amount of charge the car will have when it gets there.

The car is 3,964mm long, 1,768 mm wide and 1,555mm tall. That makes it wider and lower than the i3s that have been shown before. The wheelbase is the same 2570mm.

The newest concept for the i3 has 170hp and 184lb-ft of torque from its electric motor with a single-speed transmission sending power to the rear wheels. The battery is a lithium-ion unit stored under the floor. BMW believes that it will have a 100-mile range (160km) in the current configuration.

For better efficiency, BMW mounted tall, skinny low rolling resistance tires on the concept. They are 20in in diameter, but 155mm wide in the front and 175mm wide in the rear.