BMW has confirmed pricing and a release date for its i3 electric car. The premium eco runabout will retail for £30,680 when it goes on sale in November 2013 excluding the government’s plug-in car grant. Those who take advantage of the grant can pick one up for £25,680. Leasing packages start from £369 per month.
The newly confirmed retail price applies to the entry-level i3, with leasing subject to a limit of 24,000 miles. The car will feature an electric motor that produces 170hp and 250Nm of peak torque all available from the minute you prod the accelerator. According to BMW, it’ll do 0-37mph in 3.7 seconds or, if you fancy a full-on drag race, 0-62mph in a very nippy 7.2 seconds.
The BMW i3’s to speed is 150kmh.
Hooning about isn’t advisable, however. The car’s 22kWh lithium-ion battery pack can provide a driving range of between 130-160km in the car’s ‘comfort’ mode, which is reflective of everyday driving. That said, those willing to annoy other drivers by pottering around everywhere as slowly as possible might be able to eek out 190km of driving, according to the EU tests.
A full recharge should take around six hours using the bespoke BMW I Wallbox, which the company can fit at your home.
A second version of the BMW i3, which features a range-extender engine, will be made available at a later date. The 650cc two-cylinder petrol engine in this model is used exclusively to produce additional electricity for the battery pack, and can provide an additional 60 miles of range over the standard car.
Full details of the BMW i3 will be announced when the production version is revealed on July 29.
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