The BMW i3 ends its career earlier than expected

The BMW i3 is slowly approaching the end of its career. Launched in 2013, the car that was seen as a hit when it was first launched will soon be retiring. Production of the Bavarian city car will end in June 2022, although the German brand had initially set a deadline of 2023. The vehicle is therefore officially in its final months on the market.

In almost ten years of existence, the BMW i3 has attracted 200,000 customers. Revolutionary at the time, the design of the i3 is still atypical today, both on the outside and inside. The i3 was also technically exceptional, with a chassis made of carbon fibre. This resulted in a higher price than the competition.

The vehicle was available in a fully electric version as well as a variant equipped with a range-extender. In both cases, the range was between 120 and 180 mi (200 and 300 km). After the 2017 facelift, only the electric version was in the catalogue, with the exception of certain markets like the United States, where the range-extender model continued to be sold.

The i3 will therefore free up the production lines at the Leipzig plant and make way for a new model that will eventually replace it. This will be the iX1, an electric SUV which, contrary to what its name suggests, will be larger than the i3. The BMW iX1 will be based on the third-generation X1 and will take over from the i3 in 2023.