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| BMW stops selling i3 electric cars |
BMW will stop sales of its i3 electric sedan in the US starting next month.
The i3 was first launched in 2013 and is BMW's first true electric car.
The aim of the i3 is to be a city car rather than a long-distance car.
This vehicle uses a 22 kW battery to travel up to 80 miles and has an output of 170 horsepower.
After the 2017 update, the battery capacity has increased by 50% to 33 kilowatts and its range is up to 113 miles.
The i3 occupies a unique position in the emerging market for electric vehicles. As mentioned earlier, BMW has sold around 100,000 cars worldwide since its launch.
But its importance is waning. According to the BMW blog, US i3 stock has been at an all-time low in the past 12 months. Customers often encounter difficulties in insuring vehicles. Only 1,052 i3s were sold last year.
But its importance was waning. According to the BMW blog, US i3 stock has been at its lowest level in the past 12 months. Customers often encountered difficulties in securing the vehicle. Only 1,052 i3s were sold last year.
Read also: Volkswagen and Tesla are developing affordable electric cars
BMW will not sell the i3
“When it was launched in 2013, the i3 was a pioneering moment for electric vehicles and lightweight construction,” the spokesperson said.
"The i3 is one of the first purpose-built electric vehicles in the world," he added. This car uses carbon fiber reinforced plastic and aluminum to make it one of a kind.
The success of the i3 laid the foundation for the upcoming BMW iX and BMW i4, which together represent the vanguard of the automaker's belated effort to regain momentum from early electric vehicle sales.
BMW fans are disappointed that the automaker has never offered a successor since introducing the BMW i3 or i8 sports hybrid these years.
But the company is repeating basic electrical engineering. The new generation of technology drives the BMW iX, BMW i4 and BMW iX3 cars made in China.
The iX and i4 are more expensive than the BMW i3, which starts at around $44,000.
The base model of the BMW i4 starts at $55,000. The BMW iX is said to be priced at around $83,000 USD. These two cars will reach the US market in early 2022.
Eight years later, with more than 200,000 units sold, the i3 success story is over and global production will end in 2022.
BMW i3 technology and powertrain continue to be featured in the MINI Cooper SE. The MINI Cooper SE uses the same technical components as the BMW i3, but combines them with a traditional series chassis without a lightweight carbon chassis.
In addition, the electric MINI Cooper SE is front-wheel drive, while the balanced weight distribution and rear-wheel drive of the BMW i3 have always remained close to typical BMW design.