BMW I3 Priced From $42,275

Colum Wood
by Colum Wood

Is it the “ultimate (electric) driving” machine? Perhaps not, but the BMW i3 promises to be the BMW of EVs and will retail for $42,275.

After significant speculation as to its price and with years of build up, BMW has today announced that the i3 will start at $41,350 plus a $925 destination fee. Of course, that number is before any federal, state or local tax incentives or rebates, which could total up to $10,000 depending on where you live.

SEE ALSO: BMW i3 Official Specs

“The BMW i3 heralds the dawn of a new era for individual mobility and for the BMW Group. True to a genuine BMW, the BMW i3 has strong emotional appeal, outstanding product substance and a guarantee of sheer driving pleasure,” said Ian Robertson, BMW’s head of sales and marketing. “With this leading-edge vehicle and attractive price, we will provide customers with a compelling offer for electromobility.”

The production i3’s electric motor will deliver up to 170 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque and offer from 80 to 100 miles of range on a charge. Using a fast charger up to 80 percent of the car’s battery can be charged in just 20 minutes.

The i3 is the worlds first mass production car to use a carbon fiber passenger cell. Until now, the only vehicles to do so have been pricey supercars.

With a lengthy build up, interested parties will have to wait even longer to get their hands on an i3, with retail sales not expected until the second quarter of 2014.

The i3 will make its global debut simultaneously at three events in New York, London and Beijing on Monday, July 29.

Discuss this story at BimmerWerkz.com

Colum Wood
Colum Wood

With AutoGuide from its launch, Colum previously acted as Editor-in-Chief of Modified Luxury & Exotics magazine where he became a certifiable car snob driving supercars like the Koenigsegg CCX and racing down the autobahn in anything over 500 hp. He has won numerous automotive journalism awards including the Best Video Journalism Award in 2014 and 2015 from the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). Colum founded Geared Content Studios, VerticalScope's in-house branded content division and works to find ways to integrate brands organically into content.

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 3 comments
  • Peter Peter on Jul 22, 2013

    This is too expensive. For all BMW's hemming and hawing about building a smart entrant to the market, they've really missed the memo on what works and doesn't. Tesla has already proven that the market isn't ready yet for a mid-range luxury EV and the major players have proven that this price point is toxic to products. Countdown to the discount announcement, anyone?

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