Accident repair methods information provider AIC Ezi-Methods has released a special technical bulletin on the BMWi3. The information is available on www.autoindustryinsider.com and gives an insight into some of the challenges repairers may face in the future.

Ezi Methods Product Director Andrew Marsh says that the i3 provides a prime example of how up-to-date and relevant the Ezi-Methods system is. He comments, “The i3 has been on sale around the world for more than one year, and represents a strategic step change in automotive engineering, especially from a collision repair point of view”.

Andrew believes that while some repairers may be aware of the i3’s carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) body shell, few are aware that all of the exterior skin panels are made from a wide variety of specialists thermoplastics, with the exception of the lower tailgate skin which is glass and the roof skin which is painted CFRP.

He says the car has many unique and unusual features which have the potential to catch out the unwary without Ezi-Methods access. These include, front seat belt integrated into the rear door and the removal of the front door to remove the fixed or moving glass.

Andrew Marsh explains, “There are sacrificial bolts on various elements to the core of the vehicle covering the front upper and lower aluminium bumper beams, the front subframe, the rear frame aluminium braces and the rear bumper beam.”

With safety being high on the agenda, Ezi-Methods highlights the location of the high voltage battery pack which sits between the central members, on the underside of the passenger compartment floor. There are also a large number of detailed and complex CRPP structural repair methods available, which include precise instructions.

Andrew Marsh says, “We are passionate about delivering up to date, relevant information to our customers. As vehicle development continues at an exponential pace, we are at the cutting edge of that information curve as shown by our BMW i3 methods.”

For further information on Ezi-Methods contact: ben.cardy@autoindustryconsulting.com or call 0044 7923 563 260.