Shs5,000 can charge your electric BMW i3
It uses a type two charger that is compatible with ordinary sockets and takes six hours to charge the car battery to full capacity. PHOTOs/Roland D. Nasasira
What you need to know:
When fully charged, the BMW i3 covers 150km on the highway. The same battery can also last a week, if the car is only used for town rounds. Charging it costs only Shs5,000.
On a Friday morning, I am on a mission to test drive a BMW i3 2015 model, one of only two in the country. A purely electric hatchback that has no engine, gearbox or radiator, its digital speedometer shows it has only covered 930,12km, making it still relatively new by Ugandan standards. It is a four-seater vehicle, with the driver, co-driver and two rear passenger seats.
It also has hinged rear doors, where for the rear doors to open, you have to first open the front doors.
Interior
The dashboard protrudes closer to the front seats compared to that of your ordinary car, allowing for comfortable legroom. The dashboard is crafted with a beautiful wooden brown trim, carbon fibre plastic, leather and a piece of cloth. The door pockets are big enough to not only carry files but also hold travel cups. The other cup holders are between the driver and co-driver’s seats, as well as two more between the rear passenger seats.
It has a big boot that can carry an average sized suitcase, or a number of backpacks. It also has a panoramic roof which can open at the press of a button when you need natural light and fresh air.
To save battery power, you also open the roof if you drive while using the AC.
Entertainment
Its entertainment system allows you play music via Bluetooth on your phone, while the output is produced from the well amplified car speakers. The small smart screen that is positioned next to the steering wheel displays different car media.
When I parked uphill at Kembabazi Catering Centre in Naguru, a Kampala suburb, I noticed that the hand brake is activated by just pressing a button . It is positioned between the driver and co-driver’s seat. When engaged by lifting the button, a part of the button lights red. When disengaged by pushing it down, the red light goes off. When the handbrake is engaged, even if the gearlever is in drive mode, the car will not move.
Next to the handbrake button is a control knob for different media settings that can be controlled on the smart screen. It is the knob you turn when changing from radio, MP3, Bluetooth, and other media. Other controls such as the volume are on the steering wheel.
When you configure the car to your phone and receive a call via Bluetooth, you do not have to hold your phone to answer the call. You just press the answer button on the steering wheel. You can also add a device on the car media system while deleting those not in use.
Exterior
The BMW i3 has smaller tyre sizes of 155/70 R19 that are different from your ordinary tyres. This was delibarate to improve its ground clearance and stability. When driving, you do not feel the discomfort of rough roads or even bumps. Its performance is non-comparable to any diesel or petrol engine. It can go up to 230km/hr.
First
Ibrahim Kim Kisingo, a car dealer at Car Max in Naguru, Kampala, says the BMW i3 is the first BMW electric car to be launched in the BMW series. It uses a type two charger that is compatible with ordinary sockets and takes six hours to charge the car battery to full capacity, unlike the direct current (DC) charger that takes 30 minutes.
“When fully charged, the BMW i3 covers 150km on the highway. The same battery can also last a week, if the car is only used for town rounds. Charging it costs only Shs5,000. This is cheaper compared to a motorist using a fuel combustion engine,” Kisingo says of the car that costs Shs90m.
For a long journey while using the air conditioner, it will give you approximately 130km. This means the AC drains the battery. The beauty about the DC charger is that if you have driven the car for long and the battery has warmed up, it gives you less charging time. If you have parked it for a while and the battery is cold, it takes time to charge to full capacity.
“Some of the habits that damage the battery are leaving it uncharged for a long time and parking it under the sun. It is always safer to park under the shade. Even if you are not to drive it for some time, charge it to full capacity before parking it,” Kisingo advises.
Maintenance
The BMW i3 does not require early maintenance. The only parts you replace are the tyres and the brakes when they wear out and changing the brake fluid. You save a lot of time and money because it has no components such as the gearbox, radiator and engine.
