BMW confirmed that the all-electric i3 compact car would retire from the North American market in July and the rest of the world within a year.
The impending electrification of the core BMW lineup is cited as the main reason. As such, the Bavarian carmaker is already testing iX1, a crossover SUV that could be viewed as a replacement for the i3. Not only that, but the 1 Series hatchback might also get an all-electric version soon, rumors calling it ‘the i1’.
The BMW i3 hit the market eight years ago along with the i8, which was discontinued last year. The experiment was hardly a success with only 1,508 i3 units sold in the USA in 2020.
The compact urban ride offers a choice between two motors. One comes rated at 170 PS (168 hp / 125 kW) and 250 Nm (183 lb-ft) of torque, while the other one is good for 184 PS (181 hp / 135 kW) and 270 Nm (200 lb-ft). A 33.2-kWh battery gives it up to 290 kilometers (180 miles) of NEDC-rated range, although the higher spec has 10 km (6.2 miles) less. You can opt for a two-cylinder petrol engine acting as a range extender to get another 150 km (93 miles) of range.