BMW eDRIVEVehicle features and options
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and
systems. The respectively applicable country
provisions must be observed when using the
respective features and systems.
BMW eDRIVE Special features of the BMW i
High-voltage system
This BMW i is a hybrid vehicle. In addition to
the combustion engine, the vehicle features a
high-voltage system that consists of an elec‐
tric motor and a high-voltage battery among
other things.
Carbon bodyThe vehicle consists of two different functional
units: the drive module made from aluminum
and the life module made from carbon fiber re‐
inforced plastic (carbon).At a glance1Vehicle battery2Electrical drive unit3High-voltage battery4Fuel filler flap5Combustion engine6Charging port
The concept
The hybrid system makes it possible to opti‐
mize fuel consumption and driving characteris‐
tics.
An electric motor assists the combustion en‐
gine. In certain driving situations, the vehicle
can also be driven using only electric power,
thereby reducing fuel consumption.
In addition to this, the electric motor acts like
an alternator: during braking and coasting, it
converts the vehicle's kinetic energy into elec‐ tricity. The current is stored in the high-voltage
battery and is used to drive the electric motor.
Functions
Acceleration boost: ASSIST and eBOOST
Driving off and accelerating require a lot of en‐
ergy. To reduce fuel consumption during high
acceleration and to optimize acceleration, the
electric motor supports the combustion en‐
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gine. For this purpose, the electric motor is
supplied by the high-voltage battery.
Electric driving: ePOWER
Under certain conditions, refer to page 64,
the vehicle is powered only by the electric mo‐
tor.
Variable drive configuration
The electric motor drives the front axle and the
combustion engine the rear axle. Depending
on the operating condition, the vehicle has the
options of front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive
or bundled for four-wheel drive.
Follow instructions for electric driving eDRIVE, refer to page 64, driving with the combustion
engine DRIVE, refer to page 65, and driving
stability, refer to page 109.
Acoustic pedestrian protection
Depending on the country variant, the system
generates continuous driving noise, refer to
page 65, during electric driving up to approx.
20 mph/30 km/h.
Driving with the combustion engine: POWER
The combustion engine provides the perform‐
ance to move the vehicle. If necessary, the
high-voltage battery is charged at the same
time.
The hybrid system always starts the combus‐
tion engine automatically.
Energy recovery: CHARGE
The high-voltage battery is charged while driv‐
ing through energy recovery.
The electric motor acts as a generator and
converts the kinetic energy of the vehicle into
electric current.
Charging can take place in various situations
while the vehicle is in motion:▷When the vehicle is rolling if the accelera‐
tor pedal is not pressed.▷During vehicle braking.
When exerting gentle pressure on the brakes,
the vehicle is only braked by the electric motor.
When the brake pedal is depressed further, the
brake system is activated additionally. This is
why only part of the brake energy is used to
charge the high-voltage battery when exerting
firm pressure on the brake.
The mark in the instrument cluster is located
within the CHARGE range.
Sensible driving and early speed reduction are
important to make full use of the energy recov‐
ery feature.
Display The eDRIVE displays, refer to page 75, pro‐
vide information about the current state of the
drive and visualize the system's use in a dia‐
gram.
Energy-saving driving To save energy while driving, read the follow‐
ing information:
Before driving eDRIVE allows using the air conditioner even
before driving off. The stationary climate con‐
trol, refer to page 127, provides more range
than full air conditioning while driving.
Parked car ventilation during the charging
process can provide maximum range when
driving off.
During driving
▷General driving tips, refer to page 144, for
increasing the range.▷Use the eDRIVE system efficiently, refer to
page 138, for an optimized driving style.▷ECO PRO mode, refer to page 145, for in‐
creasing the range.Seite 32At a glanceBMW eDRIVE32
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Tailgate
Depending on optional features and country
version, this setting is not offered in some
cases.1."Settings"2."Doors/key"3. Select the symbol.4.Select the desired function:▷"Tailgate"
The tailgate is unlocked.▷"Tailgate + door(s)"
The tailgate and the doors are un‐
locked.
Confirmation signals from the vehicle
The settings are saved in the active profile, re‐
fer to page 39.
1."Settings"2."Doors/key"3.Deactivate or activate the desired confir‐
mation signals.▷"Acoustic sig. lock/unlock"▷"Flash when lock/unlock"
Automatic locking
The settings are saved in the active profile, re‐fer to page 39.
1."Settings"2."Doors/key"3.Select the desired function:▷"Lock if no door is opened"
The vehicle locks automatically after a
short period of time if no door is
opened.▷"Lock after start driving"
The vehicle locks automatically after
you drive off.Without alarm system: headlamp
courtesy delay feature/standing
climate control
The settings are saved in the active profile, re‐
fer to page 39.1."Settings"2."Doors/key"3. Select the symbol.4.Select the desired function:▷"Pathway lighting"
Headlight courtesy delay feature▷"Comfort climate control"
Stationary climate control
Alarm system
The conceptWhen the vehicle is locked, the vehicle alarm
system responds to:
▷Opening a door, the hood or the tailgate.▷Movements in the interior.▷Changes in the vehicle tilt, e. g., during at‐
tempts at stealing a wheel.▷Disconnected battery voltage.
The alarm system briefly signals tampering:
▷By sounding an acoustic alarm.▷By switching on the hazard warning sys‐
tem.▷By flashing the high beams.
Arming and disarming the alarm
system
When you unlock or lock the vehicle, either
with the remote control or via the Comfort Ac‐
cess, the alarm system is disarmed or armed at
the same time.
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Lighting lights up steady blue
After drive readiness is switched on, light turns
blue. The vehicle is ready to drive. The READY
indicator lights up in the instrument cluster. In
addition, a signal sounds.
Lighting off
Drive readiness, operating readiness and
radio-ready state are turned off. The vehicle is
in the idle state. The charging cable may be
connected.
Activating drive readiness1.Close the driver's door.2.Depress the brake pedal.3.Press the Start/Stop button.
Drive readiness is active, electric driving, Silent
Start or Start of the combustion engine.
Electric drive readiness, Silent Start
The vehicle is ready for driving without starting
the combustion engine.
Silent Start is possible if the requirements for
Electric driving, refer to page 64, are met.
Display READY indicates drive readi‐
ness.
Starting the combustion engine Enclosed areas
Do not let the engine run in enclosed
areas, since breathing in exhaust fumes may
lead to loss of consciousness and death. The
exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, an
odorless and colorless but highly toxic gas.◀
Unattended vehicle
Do not leave the vehicle unattended with
engine running or drive readiness switched on;
otherwise, it may pose a risk.
Before leaving the vehicle, engage lever in po‐
sition P P, and set the parking brake; other‐
wise, the vehicle is not secured against rolling
away.◀
Repeated starting in quick succession
Avoid trying to start the vehicle repeat‐
edly and in quick succession. Otherwise, the
fuel is not burned or is inadequately burned,
posing a risk of overheating and damage to the
catalytic converter.◀
The combustion engine is started with Acti‐
vate drive, refer to page 63, readiness under
the following conditions:▷The temperature of the hybrid system is
too high.▷The charge level or temperature of the
high-voltage battery is too low.
Driving away
1.Activate drive readiness.2.Apply the brake and engage lever in posi‐
tion P D, SPORT or R.3.Release the parking brake.4.Drive away.
Deactivating drive readiness
After parking the vehicle, you may hear noises due to operation of the hybrid system, such as
for cooling of the high-voltage battery.
After stopping the vehicle:
1.Depress the brake pedal.2.Set the parking brake.3.Press the Start/Stop button.
The READY indicator goes out and a signal
sounds. In case of longer idle times, follow the
instructions in the Care chapter, refer to
page 190.
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Before driving into a car wash
So that the vehicle can roll into a car wash ob‐
serve instructions for going into an automatic
car wash, refer to page 187.
Electric driving: ePOWER
Note Awareness of vehicle reduced when
driven in electric mode
When driving in electric mode, note that, due
to the lack of engine noise, pedestrians and
other traffic might pay less attention to the ve‐
hicle due to missing engine noises. Please
take special care when parking or leaving a
parking space.◀
General information
In ePOWER, the vehicle is driven exclusively
electrically. ePOWER works automatically.
Depending on the charging state of the high-
voltage battery, maximum speed and range
achieved can vary.
For electrical driving, certain Conditions, refer
to page 64, must be satisfied.
Displays of the hybrid system, refer to
page 77.
Requirements▷State of charge and temperature of the
high-voltage battery is sufficient.▷Selector lever position D or R engaged.▷The accelerator pedal is only slightly de‐
pressed.▷The possible maximum speed for electric
driving is not exceeded.▷The driver's door is closed.Auto eDRIVE
General information
With each starting operation, Auto eDRIVE is
activated using the Start/Stop button.
In Auto eDRIVE, the vehicle is driven in hybrid
mode corresponding to the various driving sit‐
uations, i.e. the drive combines combustion
engine and electric motor. The respectively
most effective drive type is preferred.
SAVE Battery, maintaining charging
state
Should it be necessary, e.g., to conserve the
electrical range for a later point in time on the
trip, the current charging state of the high-volt‐
age battery can be maintained with this func‐ tion.
The function is possible under the following
conditions:▷The fuel fill level is sufficient.▷Engaged selector lever position D▷Drive mode Auto eDrive
Switching on/off
1."Settings"2."Auto eDRIVE"3."Hold state of charge"
MAX eDRIVE
General information Max eDRIVE forces electric driv‐
ing.
With Max eDRIVE, a speed of
approx. 75 mph, approx.
120 km/h is possible.
In special situations, the speed limit can con‐
sciously be exceeded by applying the acceler‐
ator pedal beyond the full throttle point, kick‐
down. The combustion engine is automatically
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activated and switched into AUTO eDRIVE
mode.
Overview
Activating Max eDRIVE Press button.
▷LED lights up: max eDRIVE is activated.▷LED goes out: max eDRIVE is deactivated.
Acoustic pedestrian protection
Depending on the country-specific version, the
system generates a continuous driving noise
during electric driving up to approx.
20 mph/30 km/h.
A speaker system broadcasts the noise to the
surroundings.
As a result, other traffic participants, e.g. pe‐
destrians or cyclists, can better perceive the
vehicle.
Switching on/off
Depending on the country-specific version, the
system is automatically active after every driv‐
ing-off or the system can be set on the Control
Display.
1."Settings"2."Pedestr. Protection"3."Activate"Driving with the combustion
engine: POWER
Depending on the operating state, the com‐
bustion engine is automatically switched on:▷Selector lever position Sport is set.▷Speed for electric driving is exceeded.▷The high-voltage battery has an insuffi‐
cient charge.▷High-voltage battery is completely
charged, e.g., when driving downhill.▷For improved traction, e.g., on slippery
roads.▷During intense accelerations or on inclines.▷System-related requirement for hybrid
components.▷Adapting to the course of the road when
destination guidance is activated.
When reducing speed, the combustion engine
is switched off when the conditions for electric
driving, refer to page 64, are met.
Assistance for the
combustion engine
Depending on the operating state, the electric
motor provides assistance with additional pro‐
pulsive power.
ASSIST
During normal vehicle operation, the electric
motor assists the combustion engine, depend‐
ing on the situation.
eBOOST Accelerating quickly, such as when passing,
requires the maximum available power from
the electric motor. To do this, apply extra force
to the accelerator pedal.
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Energy recovery: CHARGEThe high-voltage battery is recharged in part
through energy recovery. The electric motor
acts as a generator when decelerating and
converts the kinetic energy into electrical en‐
ergy.
Energy can be recovered if the following condi‐
tions are met:▷The vehicle is moving.▷Speed higher than approx.
12 mph/20 km/h.▷Selector lever in selector lever position D,
R or S.▷The high-voltage battery is not fully
charged.▷Accelerator pedal is not operated.
Energy cannot be recovered in the following
situations:
▷Selector lever position N is set.▷While drive stability control systems con‐
trol the vehicle, even though it is not indi‐
cated by an indicator light.▷The high-voltage battery is fully charged.▷When temperature of the high-voltage bat‐
tery is very low or very high.
With cold external temperatures, it is pos‐
sible that the energy recovery is tempora‐
rily unavailable after startup.
Parking brake
The concept The parking brake is used to prevent the vehi‐
cle from rolling when it is parked.
Overview
Parking brake
Setting Apply parking brake and further secure
the vehicle if needed.
Set the parking brake firmly when parking; oth‐
erwise, the vehicle could roll. On steep upward
and downward inclines, further secure the ve‐
hicle, e.g., by turning the steering wheel in the
direction of the curb.◀
Take the remote control with youTake the remote control with you when
leaving the vehicle so that children, e.g., can‐
not release the parking brake.◀
Pull the reel.
The LED lights up.
The indicator lamp lights up red. The
parking brake is set.
While driving
Use as emergency brake while driving:
Pull the reel and hold it. The vehicle brakes
hard while the reel is being pulled.
The indicator lamp lights up red, a sig‐
nal sounds and the brake lights light
up.
A Check Control message is displayed.
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Displays of the hybrid
system
Displays in the instrument cluster
The concept The following functions of the hybrid system
are displayed:▷High-voltage battery charge indicator, refer
to page 77.▷Max eDrive, refer to page 64▷Maintaining charging state, refer to
page 78.▷Electric driving: ePOWER, refer to
page 77.▷Acceleration boost: eBOOST, refer to
page 78.▷Energy recovery: CHARGE, refer to
page 78.▷Drive readiness: READY, refer to
page 77.
The display depends on the system's operat‐
ing condition.
High-voltage battery charge indicator
High voltage
Even if no fill level bars are displayed next
to the battery symbol, the high-voltage system
is still under high voltage.◀
The fill level bars indicate the available charg‐
ing state of the high-voltage battery when op‐
erating readiness and drive readiness are
switched on.
In addition, the range for electric driving is dis‐
played.
Drive readiness: READY READY indicates drive readi‐
ness. For further information,
please refer to Drive readiness
in detail, refer to page 62.
Electric driving: ePOWER
The inner narrow blue stripe, arrow 1, marks
the range for electric driving.
If a white mark is located in the range after the
stripe, arrow 2, the combustion engine is
switched on.
In COMFORT and ECO PRO driving mode, the
specified power of the electric motor and the
internal combustion engine is indicated by a
white mark, arrow 3.
In ECO PRO mode, the range for efficient driv‐
ing style is colored blue, arrow 4.
For further information, please refer to Electric
driving: eDRIVE, refer to page 64.
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