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BMW i3

The city car that brought carbon-fiber passenger cells to mass production.1

Researched November 1, 2026 from 32 sources

Also called

  • Mega City Vehicle (MCV)BMW's development name before the car became the i3.2
  • The Model T of our timeEngineering expert Sandy Munro's label when the i3 arrived.3

At a glance

0100200
170–184 hpPower
0510
6.8–7.2 s0–60 mph
0100200
149.7–159.3 km/hTop speed
0150300
250–270 N·mTorque
07501,500
1,195–1,460 kgWeight

The coral arc spans the family, from its mildest version to its wildest.24713

Engine
Synchronous electric motor; REx: 647 cc scooter twin driving a generator1112
Layout
Rear motor, rear-wheel drive2
Gearbox
Single-speed fixed-ratio transmission2
Built at
BMW Group Plant Leipzig, Germany2
Units built
Just over 250,00010

The story

Designed for electric city driving, the i3's LifeDrive structure pairs a carbon-fiber passenger cell with an aluminum chassis. Kenaf fibers, recycled plastics and responsibly sourced eucalyptus bring the sustainability brief into the cabin.14

2011: Mega City Vehicle becomes the i3 Concept20112013: July debut; Leipzig builds from September20132014: US launch and the Electronaut Edition · World Green Car and World Car Design20142016: 94 Ah: over 50% more capacity20162017: The i3s joins the 2018 lineup20172018: 120 Ah brings 246 km of EPA range20182021: Unique Forever: 2,000 cars20212022: HomeRun: a 10-car farewell2022 BMW 1602 Electric: 1972BMW E1: 1991BMW E1 (second concept): 1993MINI E: 2009–2010BMW i3 Concept: 2011BMW ActiveE: 2012BMW i3 (I01): 2013–2022I01 19801990200020102020
GenerationsBefore and afterMilestones252021
Show the numbers
YearWhat happened
1972BMW 1602 Electric
1991BMW E1
1993BMW E1 (second concept)
2009–2010MINI E
2011BMW i3 Concept
2012BMW ActiveE
2013–2022BMW i3 (I01)
2011Mega City Vehicle becomes the i3 Concept
2013July debut; Leipzig builds from September
2014US launch and the Electronaut Edition
2014World Green Car and World Car Design
201694 Ah: over 50% more capacity
2017The i3s joins the 2018 lineup
2018120 Ah brings 246 km of EPA range
2021Unique Forever: 2,000 cars
2022HomeRun: a 10-car farewell
  1. 2011

    Mega City Vehicle becomes the i3 Concept

    The i3 emerges from the Mega City Vehicle project as a concept at the International Motor Show in Germany.2

  2. 2013

    July debut; Leipzig builds from September

    The 60 Ah BEV starts with 22 kWh gross, 19 kWh net and a 130 km EPA range.2

  3. 2014

    US launch and the Electronaut Edition

    The US market opens in May; Electronaut Editions thank ActiveE customers with special interior, exterior and door-sill badging.5

  4. 2014

    World Green Car and World Car Design

    Both world awards arrive in April. Later that year, the Los Angeles Auto Show adds the Green Car of the Year Award 2015.6

  5. 2016

    94 Ah: over 50% more capacity

    Arriving in July for model year 2017, the 94 Ah pack offers 27.2 kWh usable; the BEV's EPA range reaches 183 km.2

  6. 2017

    The i3s joins the 2018 lineup

    The i3s adds a 10 mm suspension drop, a 40 mm wider track and SPORT mode; its 0-60 mph sprint takes 6.8 seconds.7

  7. 2018

    120 Ah brings 246 km of EPA range

    For 2019, the 120 Ah BEV gets 42.2 kWh gross and 37.9 kWh usable, with 246 km of EPA range.248

  8. 2021

    Unique Forever: 2,000 cars

    The i3 and i3s gain their first BMW Individual finishes: Aventurine Red or Storm Bay, plus headrests embroidered with the edition's name.9

  9. 2022

    HomeRun: a 10-car farewell

    Leipzig ends nine years of hatchback production after just over 250,000 cars. The i3s farewell colors are Frozen Dark Grey and Frozen Red II.10

Every generation

  • BMW 1602 Electric
    BMW 1602 Electric1972
  • BMW E1 (second concept)
    BMW E1 (second concept)1993
  • MINI E
    MINI E2009–2010
  • BMW i3 Concept
    BMW i3 Concept2011
  • BMW ActiveE
    BMW ActiveE2012
  • BMW i3
    I012013–2022

Versions

9 versions worth knowing, with their power.

  • Standard

    i3 Deka World

    2017

    170 hp

  • Standard

    i3 Mega World

    170 hp

  • Standard

    i3 Giga World

    170 hp

  • Standard

    i3 Tera World

    170 hp
  • i3 REx

    Standard

    i3 REx

    170 hp

  • Limited

    i3 Electronaut Edition

    2014

    170 hp

  • Special

    i3 Carbon Edition

    2017

  • i3 / i3s Unique Forever Edition

    Limited

    i3 / i3s Unique Forever Edition

    2,000 built

  • Limited

    i3s Edition RoadStyle

    2020

    181 hp

How to spot one

Look for

  • Rear-hinged back doors open in the opposite direction to the front doors.27
  • A black belt runs from the hood over the roof to the tail.4
  • Large-diameter, unusually narrow tires are a defining side-view clue.2
  • Side-window line dips toward the rear seats, creating a distinctive kink.18
  • U-shaped taillights appear to float in the rear glass.1

Year by year

  1. 2018 facelift

    Separate round lower lamps disappear; reshaped bumpers gain horizontal LED turn signals.2719

  2. 2018 facelift

    A horizontal silver strip appears at the rear hatch, with badges moved to the tailgate's outer edges.27

  3. 2018 facelift

    Regular i3 gains silver roofline trim; the new i3s gets black trim and flared wheel arches.27

  4. 2019 update

    Jucaro metallic with Frozen Grey accents joins the palette; wheel design 429 becomes standard.24

Don’t confuse it with

  • Photo of a BMW i3
    i3
    Photo of a BMW i3 (G28)
    BMW i3 (G28)

    BMW i3 (G28)

    The G28 is a 3 Series-based electric sedan; the I01 family is a tall five-door hatchback.2

  • Photo of a BMW i3
    i3
    Photo of a BMW i3 (NA0, Neue Klasse)
    BMW i3 (NA0, Neue Klasse)

    BMW i3 (NA0, Neue Klasse)

    The Neue Klasse i3 is a sedan; this family is a tall hatchback with rear-hinged rear doors.2

Against its rivals

  • Mercedes-Benz B-class Electric Drive

    i3 vs Mercedes-Benz B-class Electric Drive

    0–97 km/h lower is better

    i36.5 s
    Mercedes-Benz B-class Electric Drive6.8 s
    22
  • BMW M240i (automatic)

    i3 vs BMW M240i (automatic)

    48–80 km/h lower is better

    i32.7 s
    BMW M240i (automatic)2.7 s
    11
  • VW Golf GTE

    i3 vs VW Golf GTE

    Price after grant lower is better

    i332,475 £
    VW Golf GTE28,135 £
    19

Prices

Price when newAuction salePrices on a log scale
$1K$10K$100K$1M 20142016201820202022202420262028 2014 · $41,350 · US base MSRP, before destination2014 · $45,200 · US REx base, before destination2017 · $45,445 · US base, 33.2-kWh2017 · $49,295 · US REx base2017 · $55,145 · US REx, as tested2019 · $45,030 · UK i3 120Ah OTR, approx $1.28/£2019 · $48,218 · UK i3s 120Ah OTR, approx $1.28/£ 2014 · $41,350 · US base MSRP, 2014; before destination/incentives 2017 · $117,000 · i3 Spaghetti Car, charity auction, DiCaprio Foundation2024 · $8,000 · 2014 i3, 49k miles, BaT2025 · $6,750 · 2015 i3 REx, 62k miles, BaT2026 · $3,700 · 2014 i3 Range Extender, Barrett-Jackson2026 · $9,000 · 2015 i3 REx, 49k miles, BaT2026 · $12,750 · 2018 i3s, 50k miles, BaT $117.0K DiCaprio Foundation, 2017
1241115252829303132
Show the numbers
YearPriceAmountDetail
2014Launch price$41,350US base MSRP, 2014; before destination/incentives
2014Price when new$41,350US base MSRP, before destination
2014Price when new$45,200US REx base, before destination
2017Price when new$45,445US base, 33.2-kWh
2017Price when new$49,295US REx base
2017Price when new$55,145US REx, as tested
2019Price when new$45,030UK i3 120Ah OTR, approx $1.28/£
2019Price when new$48,218UK i3s 120Ah OTR, approx $1.28/£
2017Auction sale$117,000i3 Spaghetti Car, charity auction, DiCaprio Foundation
2024Auction sale$8,0002014 i3, 49k miles, BaT
2025Auction sale$6,7502015 i3 REx, 62k miles, BaT
2026Auction sale$3,7002014 i3 Range Extender, Barrett-Jackson
2026Auction sale$9,0002015 i3 REx, 49k miles, BaT
2026Auction sale$12,7502018 i3s, 50k miles, BaT

The rest of the story is in the app

The full file tells why each version matters, the legend behind the car and what to check before buying one.

  • Versions

    • Why each of the 9 versions matters

  • Legend

    • 13 stories from its legend
    • “Owners aimed for a 179-car BMW parade”
    • “An EcoRally double for the i3 REx”

  • Generations

    • The story of each of the 7 generations

  • Market

    • 6 things to check before buying one
    • Where prices are heading, and why
Read the full file in SPOT

SPOT is free on iPhone. Full car files come with SPOT Plus.

Sources

Every fact on this page links to the source it rests on.

See all 32 sources
  1. Worldwide debut of the all-new BMW i3. newsroom.bmwgroup.com
  2. BMW i3 (hatchback) - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  3. What It’s Like Loving A Car Most Enthusiasts Don't Give A Damn About - The Autopian theautopian.com
  4. The all-electric BMW i3 120Ah. newsroom.bmwgroup.com
  5. BMW ActiveE - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  6. BMW i3 wins Green Car of the Year Award 2015. Numerous accolades highlight the success of the BMW i3 in its first year on the market. newsroom.bmwgroup.com
  7. The New BMW i3 and First Ever BMW i3s. newsroom.bmwgroup.com
  8. Used BMW i3 (2015-2021): Reliability, common problems and buying guide carmag.co.za
  9. BMW i3s Unique Forever Edition Aventurine Red bmwblog.com
  10. BMW i3 Production Ends After Nine Years And 250,000 Vehicles bmwblog.com
  11. Tested: 2017 BMW i3 with Range Extender caranddriver.com
  12. What to Buy: 2013–2021 BMW i3 caranddriver.com
  13. The 2020 BMW i3s Edition RoadStyle and i8 Ultimate Sophisto Editions newsroom.bmwgroup.com
  14. Living with the 2014 BMW i3 motortrend.com
  15. First BMW i3 delivered in the United States bmwblog.com
  16. BMW i3 Carbon Edition exclusive for Netherlands bmwblog.com
  17. 2015 LA Auto Show: BMW i3 Shadow Sport Edition - Sold out in 1 hr bmwblog.com
  18. Gamechanger: the BMW i3 | Article | Car Design News cardesignnews.com
  19. BMW i3s review – BMW adds sporty appeal to electric hatch | evo evo.co.uk
  20. 40 years of electric mobility at the BMW Group. From the BMW 1602 to the BMW i3 bmwblog.com
  21. Mini E - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  22. 2014 BMW i3 vs. 2014 Mercedes-Benz B-class Comparison Test caranddriver.com
  23. El BMW i3 domina el EcoRally RAC Vasco Navarro newsroom.bmwgroup.com
  24. BMW i3 '15 - DG EDGE dg-edge.com
  25. Someone Bought the BMW 'Spaghetti Car' for $117,000 thedrive.com
  26. BMW electric and plug-in hybrid cars attempt to break Guinness World Record bmwblog.com
  27. How The 'Black Death' Can Destroy Certain BMW EVs Instantly And With No Warning - The Autopian theautopian.com
  28. 2014 BMW I3 value & history | Motor Guild motorguild.co
  29. No Reserve: 49k-Mile 2015 BMW i3 REx for sale on BaT Auctions - sold for $9,000 on May 14, 2026 (Lot #242,497) | Bring a Trailer bringatrailer.com
  30. No Reserve: 50k-Mile 2018 BMW i3s for sale on BaT Auctions - sold for $12,750 on February 10, 2026 (Lot #229,590) | Bring a Trailer bringatrailer.com
  31. No Reserve: 2015 BMW i3 REx for sale on BaT Auctions - sold for $6,750 on November 28, 2025 (Lot #221,645) | Bring a Trailer bringatrailer.com
  32. No Reserve: 2014 BMW i3 for sale on BaT Auctions - sold for $8,000 on January 29, 2024 (Lot #134,821) | Bring a Trailer bringatrailer.com
  • newsroom.bmwgroup.com
  • en.wikipedia.org
  • theautopian.com
  • carmag.co.za
  • bmwblog.com
  • caranddriver.com
  • motortrend.com
  • cardesignnews.com
  • evo.co.uk
  • dg-edge.com
  • thedrive.com
  • motorguild.co
  • bringatrailer.com

Photo credits

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