Copyright 2012 Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. All rights reserved.

BMW i is revolutionising automotive engineering

with the first series-produced passenger cell
made of carbon fibre.

This is the first time that

this high-tech carbon fibre
material has been used for
the large-scale production
of vehicles.

Carbon fibre is around 50% lighter than steel and almost 30% lighter
than aluminium. This lets BMW i set new standards in lightweight
construction, at the same time completely offsetting the additional
weight of the high-voltage lithium ion battery.

BMW Life Drive is the first vehicle

architecture custom-built for electric
cars. It is created from two separate
units: the Life module the
passenger cell made of carbon fibre
and the Drive module, comprising
the suspension, drive components
and high-voltage battery

Passenger cell

Drive module

The advantage
By securely housing all drive components in the
lower module, there is no transmission tunnel running
through the middle of the car, leaving more room for
passengers.
LifeDrive architecture not only compensates for the
extra weight of the battery, it also lowers the cars
centre of gravity.

Passenger cell

The upper module consists of carbon fibre reinforced plastic CFRP

also known as carbon fibre. It offers the best possible protection in the
event of an accident thanks to its high strength. But it is also light
enough to offset the additional weight of the high-voltage battery. This
gives driver and passengers greater safety and a sense of space, while
also reducing vehicle weight, making for an even more dynamic driving
experience.

Drive module

The lower module is constructed from 100% aluminum. It houses the highvoltage battery, along with the suspension system, structural and crash
components and the electric drive train. It protects the battery from the
elements, and the deep central positioning of the other components delivers
a low centre of gravity and optimal weight distribution for unparalleled agility
and safety.

Electric motor
The electric motor of the BMW i3 was designed for use in city traffic
and provides 125 kW/170 hp with a torque of 250 Nm. The full
torque, which is typical for electric motors, is immediately available
from a standstill and does not need to be built up first via the engine
speed, as is the case with combustion engines. This gives the BMW i3
particularly high agility in every situation and impressive acceleration
values: the BMW i3 accelerates from 0 to 60 km/h in under 4 seconds
and to 100 km/h in only 7.2 seconds
Lithium-ion battery
The energy supply for the drive, as well as all other vehicle functions, is
provided by a specially developed lithium-ion high-voltage battery. The
intelligent heating/cooling system of the high-voltage battery ensures
that energy performance (and thus the vehicles range) is less affected
by temperature fluctuations than it normally is with batteries of this
type.
Via the supplied charging cable, the battery is already charged for 80 %
capacity in 6 to 8 hours with 16A current supply.

 With BMW i3 transmission system, in which the typical commuter

operation required a recharging of the high-voltage battery only

every two to three days and with the 130-160 km range of the
BMW i3 is more than sufficient for everyday operation. For the BMW
i3 with Range Extender, a range of approx. 240-340 km is
possible.
The dynamic range display shows destinations that can be reached
directly in the form of a vicinity outline; depending on the
destination, the range assistant recommends switching to the ECO

Safe to use.