BMW Surprised by i3 Demand, May Increase Production [116 New Photos]

Believe it or not, but BMW is considering a production increase for the i3 electric car, despite the fact that the car hasn’t even hit showrooms yet. That’s because there are more than 8,000 reservations for the i3, a month before the car will arrive in European dealerships.

“If demand holds, which is what it’s looking like, we will soon have to invest more,” BMW chief financial officer Friedrich Eichiner said at a press conference in Amsterdam, according to a Bloomberg News report. He added that the company will adjust capacity according to demand and that sales forecasts for the i3 are for more than 10,000 units next year.

The BMW i3 will be priced from €34,950 ($47,160) in Germany when it goes on sale on November 16. The car will launch in the U.S., China and Japan in the first half of next year. In the United States, the i3 will start from $41,350 (€30,655).

The first i-badged BMW is powered by an electric motor developing 125 kW (168 hp) and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft). It offers an everyday driving range of 130 – 160 km (approx. 80 – 100 miles) that can be increased by 20 km (12 miles) in Eco Pro or EcoPro+ modes. However, for those with range anxiety, BMW will also offer an optional two-cylinder range extender petrol engine developing 34 hp. The unit maintains the minimum charge level and boosts range to around 300 km (185 miles).

If the range extender is not enough, BMW will also offer i3 customers the option to book a conventional BMW model for several weeks a year as a backup.

By Dan Mihalascu

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