I don’t know if lumbersexual tobacco-scented hipsters are anywhere near the core of the market for the i3, but if they are BMW is ready for them with this rugged rustproof ABS squirt bucket.
This plastic ash-can isn’t unique to the i3, nor are many other features such as Connected Drive and BMW Assist. But when you roll them all together in an advanced carbon-fiber package it starts feeling as if the future has arrived. Sadly, without a jetpack.
After three weeks of driving I have a very strong feeling of being networked. This car was designed around ecosystems, electric grids, cellular systems and highway infrastructure. The BMW i3 Remote app, which lets you pre-heat or pre-cool your car when it’s plugged in, has hooks to link with Life360, a service that let’s your family and friends creep on your driving habits. So yes, even social networking plays into the design of the i3.
We’re just around the corner from the end of the automobile as we know it. With the BMW i3 the era of the Hypercar has begun. But I don’t think this era will last terribly long. The self-driving car isn’t very far on the horizon and by the time that happens we may well stop thinking about cars as cars and more as mobile offices or lounges. And when that day comes just remember that the BMW i3 helped you get there.
