BMW i3: End of Production in Summer 2022?

According to several media outlets, the compact electric BMW i3 will end its 9-year run in the middle of the year, and will give way to an entirely new model.

First introduced in 2013, the BMW i3 was one of the few 100% electric cars on the market. It was also the only high-end compact model, compared to mainstream vehicles like the Nissan Leaf or Renault ZOE. With an outdated design, it will finally make way for a new model.

Atypical Duration for an Original City Car

It is through several Anglo-Saxon media outlets that we learn about the end of the BMW i3’s lifecycle. Production of the city car is expected to cease in July 2022 at the Leipzig factory in Germany.

Its career was quite unusual, with sales steadily increasing. In July 2020, the i3 surpassed 200,000 units produced. To date, total production is estimated at around 250,000 units, despite its high price of approximately 40,000 euros, mainly due to its costly carbon fiber structure.

Launched in 2013 with only 145 km per charge, the BMW i3 received a new 94 Ah battery (equivalent to 33.2 kWh instead of 22 kWh). 2017 marked the time for a small facelift and an i3s version with 184 hp (compared to 170 hp for the base model).

The latest “120 Ah” update in 2018 featured a new 42.2 kWh battery, giving it over 300 km of range.

BMW i3 Replaced By…

The BMW i3 will definitely continue into the future, but will adhere to the brand’s nomenclature. Since the number 3 is associated with the Series 3, the next BMW i3 will be an electric version of the sedan. For comparison, the BMW i4 is the electric counterpart to the Series 4 Gran Coupé.

As for the current i3, it will not be directly replaced by a city car model. Mini will handle that with its Cooper SE and small SUVs. Specifically, the upcoming BMW iX1, which will share the platform with the Mini Countryman, will be an electric version of the X1. The launch is expected in 2023, but details are still unknown.

Also read: BMW i7: Electric flagship on the horizon