BMW shelves plans to launch i3 in Malaysia
It is not often that we get invited to try out products that are not planned for launch in Malaysia, but that was precisely what happened today at BMW Group Malaysia’s corporate headquarters in Cyberjaya where invited members of the media had the chance to drive the i3 electric car a couple of laps around the building’s compound.
The brief session gave us little beyond fleeting impressions of the i3’s dynamics and performance. The strong surge of electric-powered torque from standstill was nevertheless unmistakable, and there is the usual pin drop silence on the move associated with electric vehicles. More effective was a demonstration of its active park assist feature, which includes throttle and brake control, leaving the driver with the sole task of switching between forward and reverse motion.
Any profound observations on our part would have been redundant however, as Dr. Gerhard Pils, Chief Executive Officer of BMW Group Malaysia, subsequently broke the news to all present after the brief preview session that the i3 will actually not be launched in Malaysia.
According to Pils, the new National Automotive Policy’s condition that tax incentives for energy efficient vehicles (EEV) will only be offered to locally-assembled models mean that fully-imported green vehicles like the i3 will not be able to see the light of day in Malaysia, at least not at a sufficiently competitive price that would merit consideration.
Local assembly of the i3 is out of the question simply because it is such an advanced vehicle that BMW only has one facility in the entire world, Leipzig, that is currently equipped to manufacture this car. Also, the Malaysian market is not sufficiently big to generate the kind of volumes that would make the huge investments in setting up the specialized infrastructure to facilitate local assembly of the i3 even remotely feasible.
Launched globally less than a year ago, the i3 is BMW’s first all-electric production model available for sale under its i sub-brand dedicated to electric vehicles. Underpinned by a unique LifeDrive platform not shared with other BMW passenger vehicles (and to our knowledge not related to our friends at LiveLifeDrive.com either), the i3 features extensive usage of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) on its body shell to keep its weight down. Body panels are made of robust detachable plastic skins that can be easily replaced in the event of an accident or if the owner simply wants to swap to a new colour.
Powering the i3 is a rear-mounted synchronous electric motor developing maximum outputs of 170hp and 250Nm available from standstill. Energy is stored in a eight-module high-voltage 360V lithium-ion battery supplying 18.8kWh of energy per full charge. Backed by an 8-year/100,000km global warranty, the battery provides an estimated 130-160km cruising range depending on usage. Activating Eco Pro or Eco Pro+ mode potentially adds a further 20km before the battery dries up.
For users who commute longer distances, BMW offers a two-cylinder petrol engine range extender as a cost option. Mechanically disconnected from the wheels and fed by a 9-litre fuel tank, the 650cc mill, when activated, drives a generator to produce additional electricity to boost the i3’s cruising range a further 100km. Most pertinently, it makes long distance traveling on the i3 feasible and is a workable solution for range anxiety that seamlessly fits into current-day infrastructure.
Despite its continuously proclaimed intentions of market liberalization and to attract auto makers to set up assembly facilities in Malaysia, the latest National Automotive Policy has thus far not managed to effect any significant shifts in the local motoring industry. BMW’s decision to scrap its plans for the i3 is in fact a blow to the policy’s credibility – for all the emphasis on promoting energy efficient vehicles, the end result is an auto maker actually finding it unfeasible to introduce an energy efficient vehicle into the country.
