Pricing for BMW's ultimate eco driving machine was announced today, albeit in U.S. figures, but it's more than enough info for those of us in the North to estimate how much the i3 will put us back - or ahead if we're looking at this from an evolutionary automotive standpoint.
UPDATE: Pricing in Canada has been announced at $44,950 for the company's first all-electric series production vehicle.
Before taxes, the i3 is listed at $41,350 USD (plus $925 handling). Complete with 170 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, the big car with small looks will surely be quick and even more efficient, thanks to the hybrid-synchro engine that includes a 22 kWh lithium-ion battery, good for approximately 130 to 160 kilometres of emission-free driving. From fully depleted, the battery will recharge to 80 per cent in just 20 minutes.
The car will be able to charge using home charging stations, and the company is working with public charging providers to install Level 2 SAE J1772 at various high-traffic areas wherever BMW i Series cars are sold. DC fast charing will also be available as an option for home use.
It will also mark an industry first as the only carbon fibre-reinforced plastic passenger cell, manufacturered at BMW's hydro-electric wind and solar power facility in Moses Lake, Wisconsin.
Impressively, the car will have as much interior space as the 3 Series, with a shorter overall body but optimized wheelbase for agile city driving and highway stability.
The i3 will make its world debut July 29 simulatenously at events in New York, London and Beijing before hitting US showrooms in Q2 of 2014. Stay tuned for more Canadian information as it is released.
