Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/361673
photography courtesy of BMW ElEctric AvEnuE BMW's neW all-electric i3 charges onto the Boston green. by robert cocuzzo I'm a fower child's child, the son of a long-haired, save-the-planet, "live simply" hippie. My father prides himself on leaving a carbon footprint so small that Squanto couldn't walk a mile in his shoes. For most of my childhood, he didn't own a car and rode his bike everywhere. His environmental zeal grew so intense that it made others feel guilty for driving, as if turning the key to your car meant you were clubbing a baby seal. But now, as I head home in BMW's new all-electric i3, my old man might actually have to tip his bike helmet to me and the future of zero-emissions driving. The i3 rolls off the lot like a glorified go-kart, compact as a Lego piece, with a futuristic design that screams "Great Scott!" Its carbon-fiber doors open suicide-style to reveal a triumph of spacious, sustainable design, from the eucalyptus-wood dashboard to the recycled-polyester seats to the leather accents that were naturally tanned using leaves from an olive tree. With the i3, BMW successfully kicks off the green movement's geeky Birkenstocks and slides into a fresh pair of Gucci loafers—sustainable yet chic. With key in pocket, the i3 starts with the press of a button, its engine as quiet as a Trappist monk. Powered by a giant high-voltage lithium-ion battery, the car gets 80 to 100 miles per charge before it switches over to a gas-fueled generator (if you have the Range Extender edition) for another 80 or so miles. Every time you take your foot off the accelerator, the electric motor uses the vehicle's breaking torque to recharge the battery. Two computer screens tell you the car's energy levels, the location of the next charging station, and other data that you fip through with the turn of a knob just off the right armrest. While certainly not ideal for a cross-country trip (a full charge takes about three hours), it would be hard to imagine a more practical car for the city. A handful of carbon-free miles later, I pull into my dad's driveway just as he's climbing off his bike. Through the windshield I see him make a face that I've never seen before. He takes one look at the i3 and turns green… with envy. Herb Chambers BMW of Boston, 1168 Commonwealth Ave., 617-731-1700; herbchambersbmwofboston.com BC clockwise from below: The BMW i3 offers a freestanding multifunction steering column, adaptive LED lights, and convenient rear-hinged back doors. 130 bostoncommon-magazine.com carnoisseur The Driven Life