Yes the limited range on the current phase of EV's means they are bought and then sold on mostly in cities a big towns etc, so only appeal to a local market.

BMW has been working on getting carbon fiber down in cost, and the i3 is a showcase for how far they've gotten. Toyota partnered with them on fuel cell technology in order to have access to their carbon fiber expertise.

I find the strategic business alliances between car companies most interesting. Benz financially rescued Tesla. You can bet a lot of Tesla DNA will end up in Benz EVs.

Panasonic is also a partner in the Tesla Gigafactory.

Isn't Ford associated with Mazda?

What other bed partners are there?

The rather dull B200 EV does indeed have a Tesla drivetrain, and Tesla use Mercedes switchgear, such as the indicator stalks etc. But the B200 has a low spec battery that has a poor range and NO rapid charge capability. Big mistake there.

https://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/cro...as_1600x0w.jpg

Gee. From the looks of it that Benz has no Benz DNA.

If you're interested in non-fawning perspective on Mercedes, give this guy a listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAgY6A3RPcU

I don't walk away from it thinking "Mercedes is horrible," but I it supports my view that Mercedes in reality, does not measure up to Mercedes in perception. Still, I like some MB vehicles, knowing they're expensive to own and Status is their biggest selling point.

FWIW, I drive an Audi Q5... not far from that mark either, though more affordable to purchase and own than a Mercedes.

Enjoyed that, Steve!

Here's a couple for ya. Scotty Kilmer, a Texas auto mechanic, offers his take on Benzs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XV9rJwEOCus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPJ64sTa7KI

Here are the prices of the carbon tub cars that are currently on sale, so all things considered the i3 is not that bad:

$45,000 BMW i3
$61,000 Alfa Romeo 4C
$78,000 KTM X-Bow (not really a car)
$295,575 McLaren 650S Spider
$379,575 Lexus LFA
$847,975 Porsche 918 Spyder

BMW recently built the BMW S1000RR sportbike that comes in a carbon version. The frame, swingarm, body panels and wheels are all made of carbon fiber and these parts were possible to make due to the factory where the i3 and i8 is assembled.

luv2spd: If someone is hung up on "needing" a carbon fiber tub, your comparison is intriguing. For the other >99% of drivers who don't care about that, the i3 is a much less compelling offer, carbon fiber hot-tub notwithstanding.

The CF structure is important in an EV to save weight, as the batteries are extremely heavy. It's why Tesla make 97% of thier cars from aluminium, they have to save as much weight to make the car light and the range better.