BMW has made 200,000 of its i3 electric cars

BMW recently announced that it has built its 200,000th i3 electric car since the start of production in 2013. First launched in the United States (U.S.) for the 2014 model year, the i3 broke new ground not only as BMW’s first mass-market production electric car, but through innovative design features like a carbon fibre-reinforced plastic body shell, unique styling and an interior that incorporated a plant-based material called kenaf.

The automaker originally planned for the “I” models — including both the i3 and now-discontinued i8 plug-in hybrid — to be distinct from its other models, taking more design risks; however, it appears that BMW has changed its mind, as future BMW electric models are expected to be somewhat more conventional.

The 200,000th i3, which was produced for a customer in the German state of Saxony, was finished in Fluid Black metallic paint with BMW i Blue accents. The number 200,000 is significant in the U.S. because the federal EV tax credit begins to phase out after selling that number of qualifying plug-in cars. (BMW is halfway there, as of June 2020.)

Sales in the U.S. have likely been hampered by the i3’s small size and limited range. While BMW has made improvements over the years, the 2020 i3 still has an EPA-estimated range of only 153 miles (200 miles with the optional gasoline range extender), when most automakers are aiming for more than 200 miles of all-electric range.

Photo : Green Car Reports

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