Almost a decade after its launch, BMW’s first battery powered model will be retired after selling a quarter million i3’s to the public. Production of the quirky EV will cease during July in anticipation for the next-generation Mini Countryman but BMW i3 production ends this year.
It is hard to believe that the funky i3 has been on sale for almost ten years with production commencing in 2013. In that time it has mustered a reputation for an ugly, yet highly usable city slicking EV. 250 000 units after a production run as long as the i3 has enjoyed are hardly stellar, but the peppy little runabout has played a large part in paving the way for the BMW i electric range.
With an increase in production during 2020 at the Leipzig assembly plant to meet growing international demand, BMW i3 production ends after final examples of the electric model will quietly drive off the assembly line in July of this year in anticipation for the next-generation plug-in hybrid Mini Countryman.
While it may sound ludicrous to cancel an electric vehicle in the current global market, this is presumably to also make way for the rest of the BMW electric range which is growing by the month. The i3 will be replaced indirectly by the iX1 which is an all-electric crossover based on the (you guessed it) BMW X1.
A new BMW i3 was launched in December of last year for the Chinese market although it has absolutely nothing to do with the awkward looking EV. Rather the People’s Republic will be solely receiving their own i3 which has reused the name for an all-electric version of the 3 series.
While its mundane commuter application won’t yield the same reverence as some cars from the brand, BMW i3 production ends after a of a quarter million units sold and retains a legacy as their first battery powered vehicle which is good enough going into future mobility.
