BMW i3 Sales Soar By Over 70% Thanks To Battery Upgrade

Sales of the BMW i3 experienced a significant jump in August after the brand launched the new-and-improved version with a larger battery pack.

In August, a total of 2,848 i3s were delivered to customers worldwide, a huge 73.2 per cent increase over the same month last year.

Member of the board of management at BMW AG, Development, Klaus Frohlich, said this jump can largely be attributed to the improved model that hit showrooms in July.

Rather than the 60Ah battery of the standard i3, the improved variant adopts a 94Ah battery, meaning its range swells to 114 miles (185 km), about 40 per cent more than the standard car. Additionally, the model brings with it a custom interior design package, 19-inch wheels and fast DC charging.

In 2019 or 2020, a second-generation i3 is tipped to launch and given the rapid development of the electric vehicle market, it can be expected to have a range comfortably exceeding 200 miles.

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