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Question of the Day: Have you ever ordered a product online and received a fake knock-off?
2018 BMW i3 & i3s
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Some Hero Bought A Brand New 2021 BMW i3 This Year
It's the first new i3 BMW has sold in at least a year, and the buyer must have gotten quite the deal.
The end of the first quarter of 2024 means we get a look at some of the oddities automakers sold in the first three months of this year. Usually, it’s pretty uneventful, but sometimes you get a little gems. Take BMW’s Q1 report for example. It’s all pretty run-of-the-mill until you notice a little “1” on its spreadsheet. That “1” represents a BMW i3. Yes, the car that was last in production for the 2021 model year. Some hero decided to spend their hard-earned money on a brand new three-year-old BMW electric car, and I love them for it.
Even when they were new, the i3 was a bit of a curiosity. In a lot of ways, it was ahead of its time. Back in 2013, not many automakers were bothering with EVs yet, and BMW still managed to give us this neat little electric pod. It was obviously not perfect. The i3 had just an 81-mile range when it first came out. The car incrementally improved, though. By the end of its run, it had a 153-mile range and a gas range extender called the REx that could bring you all the way up 200 miles of range. That’s not awful.
To me, what held the i3 back was its controversial styling. I liked the way it looked, but it was wacky for the time, and it probably turned off a whole lot of people. In total, BMW sold 45,098 i3s in the U.S., and 1,476 of those were during the 2021 model year. I don’t know how many brand-new i3s are out there at this point, but it cannot be very many. Just for reference, BMW says they didn’t sell any i3s in all of 2023, so I really don;’t know what’s going on here.
jalopnik.com
It's the first new i3 BMW has sold in at least a year, and the buyer must have gotten quite the deal.
The end of the first quarter of 2024 means we get a look at some of the oddities automakers sold in the first three months of this year. Usually, it’s pretty uneventful, but sometimes you get a little gems. Take BMW’s Q1 report for example. It’s all pretty run-of-the-mill until you notice a little “1” on its spreadsheet. That “1” represents a BMW i3. Yes, the car that was last in production for the 2021 model year. Some hero decided to spend their hard-earned money on a brand new three-year-old BMW electric car, and I love them for it.
Even when they were new, the i3 was a bit of a curiosity. In a lot of ways, it was ahead of its time. Back in 2013, not many automakers were bothering with EVs yet, and BMW still managed to give us this neat little electric pod. It was obviously not perfect. The i3 had just an 81-mile range when it first came out. The car incrementally improved, though. By the end of its run, it had a 153-mile range and a gas range extender called the REx that could bring you all the way up 200 miles of range. That’s not awful.
To me, what held the i3 back was its controversial styling. I liked the way it looked, but it was wacky for the time, and it probably turned off a whole lot of people. In total, BMW sold 45,098 i3s in the U.S., and 1,476 of those were during the 2021 model year. I don’t know how many brand-new i3s are out there at this point, but it cannot be very many. Just for reference, BMW says they didn’t sell any i3s in all of 2023, so I really don;’t know what’s going on here.
Some Hero Bought A Brand New 2021 BMW i3 This Year
It's the first new i3 BMW has sold in at least a year, and the buyer must have gotten quite the deal.
jalopnik.com
FiestaST
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BMW i3 (2015-2022) Buyer’s Guide
While the BMW i3 looks like something from the future, you can no longer buy a new one. So, should you consider buying a used example of the Munich-based brand’s pioneering electric car? Here’s what you need to know…
When the BMW i3 whirred onto South Africa nearly a decade ago, the only other fully electric vehicle (EV) on the local market was the original Nissan Leaf. By contrast, Mzansi’s new-energy vehicle space now positively teems with battery-powered models, but we’re still waiting for a truly affordable new EV.
Although the I01-generation BMW i3 was hardly a bargain back in 2015, prices on the 2nd-hand market have dipped to a level where one could argue that a lightly used example offers the sort of value still sorely missing from the new-vehicle market’s EV segment. A prospective buyer would, of course, need to be willing to make some compromises concerning i3 derivatives’ range limitations and even a lack of warranty cover on the battery packs of earlier models, but those are topics we’ll delve into later…
While the BMW i3 looks like something from the future, you can no longer buy a new one. So, should you consider buying a used example of the Munich-based brand’s pioneering electric car? Here’s what you need to know…
When the BMW i3 whirred onto South Africa nearly a decade ago, the only other fully electric vehicle (EV) on the local market was the original Nissan Leaf. By contrast, Mzansi’s new-energy vehicle space now positively teems with battery-powered models, but we’re still waiting for a truly affordable new EV.
Although the I01-generation BMW i3 was hardly a bargain back in 2015, prices on the 2nd-hand market have dipped to a level where one could argue that a lightly used example offers the sort of value still sorely missing from the new-vehicle market’s EV segment. A prospective buyer would, of course, need to be willing to make some compromises concerning i3 derivatives’ range limitations and even a lack of warranty cover on the battery packs of earlier models, but those are topics we’ll delve into later…
FiestaST
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How much does it cost to replace a BMW i3’s battery pack?
Just how much would it cost to replace the entire battery pack in a BMW i3 here in South Africa? Well, brace yourselves, folks: it’s by no means a small number…
While doing research for our recently published BMW i3 Buyer’s Guide, we decided to find out exactly how much it would cost to replace the entire lithium-ion battery pack in this compelling little electric car. After all, if you’re purchasing a 2nd-hand EV, it’s a number certainly worth knowing.
Before we delve into our eye-opening discovery, here’s a quick reminder of the i3’s time on the local market (head over to the aforementioned buyer’s guide for the detailed background). This innovative electric car launched in Mzansi in 2015 in 60-Ah guise, before upgrading to a 94-Ah battery pack late in 2016 and a 120-Ah item in 2019. In each case, the battery pack comprised 8 modules, each with 12 cells.
Throughout its local lifecycle (it was discontinued in 2022), the i3 shipped standard with an 8-year/100 000 km battery-pack warranty. Although we understand that BMW Group SA has never been called upon to replace an entire battery pack in an i3 – the battery was developed “to last for the full life of the vehicle”, after all – we were nevertheless curious to find out the cost of this big-ticket component. Ready for the numbers? Well, brace yourself.
Armed with a VIN for a 2015 i3 (60 Ah), we approached a local BMW dealer and were presented with a whopping R432 049 battery-pack replacement cost. Even the chap in the parts department was absolutely floored by this figure. For the record, that price covers all 8 modules but doesn’t include fitment. In the case of this 2015 model, it’s also more than the estimated retail value of the vehicle itself, which no longer enjoys warranty coverage on its battery.
What about a new 8-module battery pack for a 2019 i3 (120 Ah), again confirmed using a valid VIN? Well, the price here rises to an even more frightening R483 644 (again, excluding labour and any consumables). While we unfortunately couldn’t determine a cost for a 94-Ah battery replacement, we’re guessing it would fall somewhere between the 2 figures above.
Just how much would it cost to replace the entire battery pack in a BMW i3 here in South Africa? Well, brace yourselves, folks: it’s by no means a small number…
While doing research for our recently published BMW i3 Buyer’s Guide, we decided to find out exactly how much it would cost to replace the entire lithium-ion battery pack in this compelling little electric car. After all, if you’re purchasing a 2nd-hand EV, it’s a number certainly worth knowing.
Before we delve into our eye-opening discovery, here’s a quick reminder of the i3’s time on the local market (head over to the aforementioned buyer’s guide for the detailed background). This innovative electric car launched in Mzansi in 2015 in 60-Ah guise, before upgrading to a 94-Ah battery pack late in 2016 and a 120-Ah item in 2019. In each case, the battery pack comprised 8 modules, each with 12 cells.
Throughout its local lifecycle (it was discontinued in 2022), the i3 shipped standard with an 8-year/100 000 km battery-pack warranty. Although we understand that BMW Group SA has never been called upon to replace an entire battery pack in an i3 – the battery was developed “to last for the full life of the vehicle”, after all – we were nevertheless curious to find out the cost of this big-ticket component. Ready for the numbers? Well, brace yourself.
Armed with a VIN for a 2015 i3 (60 Ah), we approached a local BMW dealer and were presented with a whopping R432 049 battery-pack replacement cost. Even the chap in the parts department was absolutely floored by this figure. For the record, that price covers all 8 modules but doesn’t include fitment. In the case of this 2015 model, it’s also more than the estimated retail value of the vehicle itself, which no longer enjoys warranty coverage on its battery.
What about a new 8-module battery pack for a 2019 i3 (120 Ah), again confirmed using a valid VIN? Well, the price here rises to an even more frightening R483 644 (again, excluding labour and any consumables). While we unfortunately couldn’t determine a cost for a 94-Ah battery replacement, we’re guessing it would fall somewhere between the 2 figures above.
FiestaST
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FiestaST
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Shooting Cars review of the 2019 i3
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The Saviour We Ignored: Why The BMW i3S Deserved Better - JayEmm on Cars
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It's 2025. Is the BMW i3 Still Worth Buying? (Real World Experience) - JayEmm on Cars
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Here's 100PercentJake's conversion for his 2016 BMW i3 to upgrade it from the original 64Ah battery pack to the newer 94Ah battery pack from the later models... 
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Dadcars review of the i3
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BMW shows new i3 for the first time – and confirms 2026 launch
Electric 3 Series will become second model in BMW's Neue Klasse age
BMW has shown the new electric BMW 3 Series for the first time, and confirmed it will arrive next year badged i3.
Revealed in camouflaged-form at the launch of the new iX3 SUV on Friday, the car has evolved from the striking Vision Neue Klasse concept that was revealed in 2023. The saloon will become the second model in its Neue Klasse age.
It is the first time the brand has offered a 3 Series-sized model with an electric powertrain. When it arrives next year it will be the smallest EV the brand offers.
It will also be the first car to use the i3 badge since the previous BMW i3 went out of production in 2022.
Speaking at the iX3 launch, BMW chairman Oliver Zipse said: “This is the new i3 that will arrive next year and he all electric. It’s the first model variant of the new 3 Series generation.
“You will recognise classic proportions of a typical sporty BMW.
“For the past 50 years across multiple model generations no other model has been as tied to the BMW brand as the 3 Series. It represents sheer driving pleasure at its finest.
"The iX3 and i3 are powerful symbol of the broad spectrum the Neue Klasse models will cover.”
www.autocar.co.uk
Electric 3 Series will become second model in BMW's Neue Klasse age
BMW has shown the new electric BMW 3 Series for the first time, and confirmed it will arrive next year badged i3.
Revealed in camouflaged-form at the launch of the new iX3 SUV on Friday, the car has evolved from the striking Vision Neue Klasse concept that was revealed in 2023. The saloon will become the second model in its Neue Klasse age.
It is the first time the brand has offered a 3 Series-sized model with an electric powertrain. When it arrives next year it will be the smallest EV the brand offers.
It will also be the first car to use the i3 badge since the previous BMW i3 went out of production in 2022.
Speaking at the iX3 launch, BMW chairman Oliver Zipse said: “This is the new i3 that will arrive next year and he all electric. It’s the first model variant of the new 3 Series generation.
“You will recognise classic proportions of a typical sporty BMW.
“For the past 50 years across multiple model generations no other model has been as tied to the BMW brand as the 3 Series. It represents sheer driving pleasure at its finest.
"The iX3 and i3 are powerful symbol of the broad spectrum the Neue Klasse models will cover.”
This is your first OFFICIAL look at the electric BMW 3 Series | Autocar
Electric 3 Series will become second model in BMW's Neue Klasse age
www.autocar.co.uk