BMW i3 I01 vs BMW 118d F20LCI: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the i3 hits 100 km/h in 7.24 s versus 8.51 s for the 118d. The instant torque of 250 Nm from the electric motor makes the difference. At this point, the i3 leads by 1.27 s and sits roughly 8 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the i3 is doing 122 km/h against 114 km/h for the 118d. The gap is 0.53 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the i3 crosses the line in 15.40 s versus 16.27 s. The 0.87 s gap represents roughly 34 m of track - a gap visible to the naked eye.

Past 400 metres, the situation changes. The i3 maxes out at 150 km/h while the 118d keeps accelerating towards 212 km/h. At 600 metres, the gap has dropped to 0.88 s.

Around 950 metres, both vehicles are level. This is the inversion point: the 118d overcomes its launch deficit thanks to a 62 km/h higher top speed.

At 1,000 metres, the 118d finishes in 29.61 s versus 29.80 s. The 0.18 s delta shows an extremely tight race.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the i3 is capped at 150 km/h, the 118d at 212 km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

Instant electric torque gives an advantage off the line. The higher top speed of the combustion engine gives an advantage over longer distances. The distance at which one catches the other depends on the top speed differential.

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 13.72 seconds. The 1.27 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.