New BMW i3 with 50% more battery range is coming in 2016

The BMW i3 is already one of our favourite electric cars, but several sources are saying it’s about to get much better. According to a report by BMW Blog, the German carmaker is poised to update the i3 in the second half of this year, and it’s extending the range from 81 to 120 miles.

The report goes on to say the i3 will also get a facelift, with two models added to the range – but it’s the battery life we’re most excited about. Sources suggest the update is coming almost entirely from battery density, and I think it will give the i3 a much-needed boost.

BMW’s current compact EV sits just below the sportier i8 hybrid, and since 2013 it’s been one of the best “premium” EVs around. But in the past three years, its 81-mile range has been eclipsed by newer electric cars, and almost doubled by the 30kWh Nissan Leaf (155 miles).

When you compare the price of Nissan and BMW – even taking into account the BMW’s lush interior – it still seems to cost slightly more than it should. With this battery update, the i3 will be an even more attractive purchase.

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