BMW i3 (120 Ah) I01 vs Mercedes A 200 d W177: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the Bmw i3 (120 Ah) hits 100 km/h in 7.24 s versus 8.28 s for the A 200 d. The instant torque of 250 Nm from the electric motor makes the difference. At this point, the Bmw i3 (120 Ah) leads by 1.04 s and sits roughly 8 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the Bmw i3 (120 Ah) is doing 122 km/h against 117 km/h for the A 200 d. The gap is 0.47 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the Bmw i3 (120 Ah) crosses the line in 15.40 s versus 16.10 s. The 0.69 s gap represents roughly 28 m of track - two to three car lengths.

Past 400 metres, the situation changes. The Bmw i3 (120 Ah) maxes out at 150 km/h while the A 200 d keeps accelerating towards 220 km/h. At 600 metres, the gap has dropped to 0.56 s.

Around 805 metres, both vehicles are level. This is the inversion point: the A 200 d overcomes its launch deficit thanks to a 70 km/h higher top speed.

At 1,000 metres, the A 200 d finishes in 29.00 s versus 29.80 s. The 0.80 s delta in favour of the A 200 d shows that top speed makes a clear difference.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the Bmw i3 (120 Ah) is capped at 150 km/h, the A 200 d at 220 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 13.11 seconds. The 1.04 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.