Production of the BMW i3/BMW i3s has come to an end after 250,000 units have been manufactured over eight and a half years.
The BMW i3 was produced at the BMW Group plant in Leipzig, Germany, and sold in more than 74 countries around the world.
It was a pioneering model for the group - the first series battery-electric model from BMW, and one of the first stand-alone all-electric models on the market.
The BMW i3 was a unique car as it had a passenger cell made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) and aluminum chassis.
Besides the 100% electric i3/i3s (sporty version), the company offered also a REx (range-extender version) of i3/i3s, with a small gasoline engine for emergency use. The initial version of the car had a 21.6 kWh battery (18.8 kWh usable), later replaced by a 33.2 kWh (27.2 kWh usable) and 42.2 kWh for up to 307 km (191 miles) of WLTP range.
With 250,000 units sold globally, it's also the world's most successful electric vehicle in the premium compact segment, according to BMW.
The last units of BMW i3 were produced in late June 2022. The final 10 happen to be special BMW i3s HomeRun Edition. Customers were invited to witness the completion of the vehicles in the assembly hall.
BMW i3s HomeRun Edition trim:
- two new BMW Individual paint finishes: Frozen Dark Grey or Frozen Dark Red II
- 20-inch light-alloy wheels in a double-spoke design
- an electrically operated glass roof
- solar control glazing
- Adaptive LED headlights
- high-quality Suite interior design, which includes: Vernasca Dark Truffle leather upholstery, a leather instrument panel, a leather steering wheel with galvanised trim, a Carum Grey roof lining, Ambient lighting and the welcome light.
- Other options include: heated seats, comfort access, alarm system, Real Time Traffic Information, Concierge Service, Park Distance Control and rear view camera.
- Also included are the Comfort package and Driving Assistant Plus, the Professional navigation system, telephony with wireless charging, the Harman Kardon hi-fi speaker system and online entertainment with music flat rate.
Some of the BMW i3/i3s EV parts, like battery modules or drive units, were used also in other EVs. Specifically, e-drive components are used in the MINI Cooper SE (although in the front-wheel-drive configuration). Battery modules can be found also in Streetscooter vans used by the German postal service, Karsan electric buses (Turkey), or Torqeedo electric motorboats.
Next year, the BMW Group Plant Leipzig will become the first BMW Group factory to produce both BMW and MINI models, thanks to the launch of the upcoming fully electric next-generation MINI Countryman.
