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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013 | CAMPBELL RIVER MIRROR | A9
Welcome to the driver’s seat
In a two-hour drive, the only time I dropped the anchors was when one of Amsterdam’s kazillion cyclists cut in front of me. Keith Morgan
The BMWi electric car powered its way with ease around city streets and along picturesque Dutch canals.
KEITH MORGAN
The future is electric AMSTERDAM – BMW has joined the race for the electric car dollar. On the evidence of two days driving the funky-looking all-electric i3 through the narrow streets of old Amsterdam and alongside the picturesque canals of rural Holland, the German manufacturer may have a winner. For starters, it is simply great fun to drive. The lithium-ion battery, encased in an aluminum cage below the five-seater cabin, provides enough instant zap to the electric motor to propel the car smoothly to 100 klicks in less than eight seconds. Left the stopwatch
at home, but counting “one-and-two etc.” to count seconds, my lips barely mouthed “six” before the speedo leapt from 80 to 120 km/h while passing. It handles beautifully at any speed and hugs the road; thanks to the technology-laden aluminum platform, that gives it a very low centre of gravity. Turns on a Euro too, as we found during the many U-turns made on blocked streets. Of course, F1 take-offs will suck the battery dry somewhat more quickly but you need not be a snail in the so-called Comfort mode to achieve the advertised 160 kilometres range on a full
Question OF THE WEEK:
you have a car for the tank, sorry, fully-charged Interior and beyond. Way battery. Plug it in at beyond. As the battery home overnight and you runs low, a two-cylinder, are ready to roar; go for 647cc gas engine, which the enhanced charger sits neatly by the side and raring to go in three of its electric brother, hours. kicks in and generates The remarkable efficiency power to top up the is largely due to two battery. Push it and gas factors. The carbon-fibre The lithium-ion stops will be frequent body is light and regenerbecause only a minuscule ative braking generously battery provides nine-litre tank feeds it. juices up the cells. In enough instant zap However, most folks will a two-hour drive, the to the electric motor get a chance to recharge only time I dropped the to propel the car before too many visits to anchors was when one the pump. of Amsterdam’s kazillion smoothly to 100 There is another hope cyclists cut in front of klicks in less than for those living beyond me. Ruined my score, the eight seconds. Hope. Private companies blighter. are seriously evaluating Accepting the more slugKeith Morgan the supply of fast chargish EcoPro and EcoPro+ gers that top up batteries modes will add 20 and in less than half an hour. 40 km to the range. Eyes will be on the Sea-to-Sky Highway Frankly, in this configuration the i3, is where chargers are now found at Brigood for any daily commute between tannia Beach. And they are popping up Vancouver and Abbotsford and most in parking lots the length and breadth journeys in southern Vancouver Island. of the province as the popularity of The very areas where BMW expects to plug-in hybrid models by other brands do the most business. grows. The i3 offers premium brand luxury for few dollars short of $45,000. Shell out View our BMWi3 gallery and read another $4,000 grand for the unimagmore about the electric car at inatively named ‘range-extender’ and drivewayBC.ca
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7x2 associated TIRE PROCESS 1710 Island Hwy, Campbell River 250-286-6132
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Safety Tip: As drivers, please slow down next week and be extra vigilant, especially around residential areas. Children are always caught up in the excitement of Halloween and can easily forget the rules of the road.
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