BMW Got EVs Right the First Time, and Has Been Chasing That High Ever Since
Remember the dorky little BMW i3, with its rear-hinged back doors and Hot Wheels-sized rims? Used-car dealers now call it “one of the MOST sought after EV’s in the game right now.” BMW got the electric powertrain right on its first swing. It has been playing catch-up ever since. Hidden inside the humble i3 are all the ingredients for the coolest EV of all time. BMW just needs to build it.
BMW launched the i3 for the 2014 model year. To be fair, the automaker pulled out all the stops. It featured a carbon-fiber passenger compartment, more common in hypercars. It wore futuristic styling penned by Richard Kim. That design won Car of the Year, World Car Design, and Product Design awards. But the i3’s real magic lived underneath.
It used a traditional EV battery, growing to 37.9 kWh by the end of production in 2022. That gave it an EPA-estimated range of up to 153 miles. The Range Extender, or REx, trim added an internal-combustion generator and fuel tank.
In plain terms, you could fill the tank during a road trip and keep driving. Charging anxiety disappeared. Reviewers found the car returned between 34 and 60 mpg in this mode.
Why BMW should revisit the original i3 formula
BMW recently announced it will revive the i3 nameplate. The automaker is also exploring a return to range-extended EV powertrains. For now, those plans focus on crossovers. Still, BMW already has the recipe for a best-seller.
Automakers kept putting big shift levers in automatic cars for decades because drivers didn’t want to be judged for driving an automatic. I believe the original i3 would have sold far better if BMW had dressed it like a standard 3 Series sedan or wagon. With the range extender, it could have even had a conventional exhaust pipe.
The original i3 also offered both rear-wheel and all-wheel-drive configurations. An M-tuned version, with a powerful rear electric motor and sport-tuned exhaust note, could challenge the Porsche Taycan. It could also compete directly with internal-combustion sports cars.
The 3 Series has been BMW’s best-selling model for decades for a reason. If BMW wants to sell more EVs, it may want to lean into what already worked.
