The BMW i3 turned out to be a smashing hit for a first attempt. The quirky urban car launched when electric vehicles were still considered a science project, and major automakers were not doing so great with the EV attempts like the Chevy Volt and the Ford Focus Electric.
Nissan was the only one who seems to have aced the formula with the LEAF, along with BMW. BMW managed to cross the 200,000-mark in October 2020 which is a big deal. For reference, the Chevy Volt (launched in 2011) sold 177,000 units by the end of October 2018.
BMW's first electric success story is coming to an end, with a spokesperson confirming the i3's plug being pulled in July 2022. This tiny car gave BMW the confidence to make a wide range of BEVs, some of which are much-anticipated entries, slated for launch in the next few years.
BMW's first EV success story, the i3, is coming to an end after nine years of existence.
BMW i3 Was The Start Of Something Very Ambitious In 2013
The i3 was BMW's first fully-electric mass offering. And in 2013, it was a very bold move to make. It was a tiny city car, but not a cheap one. With carbon fiber used for its core construction, the BMW i3 was the start of something very ambitious for the urbanscape.
And it paid off well, by being a hit. So much so, that at one time in its nine years of existence, the BMW i3 was the second best-selling EV, after the Nissan Leaf. Soon after launch, the BMW i3 won Auto Trophy in 2013 and, also won the World Car Design Of The Year and World Green Car awards in 2014.
Close To 220,000 BMW i3 Models Sold Globally Till Date
BMW discontinued the i3 in 2021 for the US and Australia, owning to dwindling sales. But Europe was still a cozy place for the tiny Bavarian, and BMW continued churning out its first-ever EV success. And BMW crossed the 200,000-mark in October 2020.
This is remarkable, owning to the pricey affair of manufacturing and repairing costs of the i3 due to its sophisticated carbon fiber and aluminum body components. And with the current run rate, BMW is expected to close the i3's life run with over 250,000 units sold worldwide by July, when it ends production.
The BMW i3 Is The Last Of It's Kind: Production Ends In July 2022
The latest iteration of the BMW i3 also included a more-powerful model that pumps out 183.5 hp and has wider tracks. That's adrenaline-pumping territory! Most (or we can say all) of the sales of the BMW i3 are currently from Europe. The last specimen of this cute Bimmer will be rolling off the production line of BWM's Leipzig facility in Germany, in July 2022.
All-Electric Version Of The BMW X1 Will Take The i3's Baton
While the i3 nameplate has weirdly been taken over by the China-only all-electric version of the BMW 3-Series, the quirky city car's legacy will be carried over by the upcoming BMW iX1, BMW X1's all-electric iteration. The production line once used for the BMW i3 will now be used for the production of the third-gen Mini Countryman, which is slated for launch in the second half of 2022.
The BMW i3 was a great machine but was mostly let down by its limited driving potential since it was designed purely as an urban runabout. But that is changing with BMW's modern BEV line-up that includes the much-anticipated iX1 and iX3 crossovers.
Sources: Press.bmwgroup.com, Insideevs.com, Wardsauto.com, Autocar.co.uk