Renault Clio 3 RS 200 vs BMW i3s I01: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the i3s hits 100 km/h in 6.81 s versus 7.03 s for the Clio 3 RS 200. The instant torque of 270 Nm from the electric motor makes the difference. At this point, the i3s leads by 0.22 s and sits roughly 7 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the i3s is doing 124 km/h against 125 km/h for the Clio 3 RS 200. The gap is 0.27 s. The gap remains stable from the start.

At 400 metres standing start, the i3s crosses the line in 15.05 s versus 15.20 s. The 0.15 s gap represents roughly 7 m of track - barely a car length.

Past 400 metres, the situation changes. The i3s maxes out at 160 km/h while the Clio 3 RS 200 keeps accelerating towards 223 km/h. At 600 metres, the gap has dropped to 0.05 s.

Around 573 metres, both vehicles are level. This is the inversion point: the Clio 3 RS 200 overcomes its launch deficit thanks to a 63 km/h higher top speed.

At 1,000 metres, the Clio 3 RS 200 finishes in 27.23 s versus 28.59 s. The 1.36 s delta in favour of the Clio 3 RS 200 shows that top speed makes a clear difference.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the Clio 3 RS 200 is capped at 223 km/h, the i3s at 160 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 10.83 seconds. The 0.22 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.