BMW electric cars 2023 | heycar

BMW quadrupled the number of electric cars it makes with the new iX1, iX3, i4 and iX. But the company has a history of innovative EV offerings over the last decade or so.

Up until recently BMW was quite a traditional brand, trading on its ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’ tagline with a range of powerful, fun to drive petrol and diesel cars. But in the past few years it’s dedicated more effort to electric and hybrid cars, fostering innovation under its ‘i’ sub-brand. 

The first ‘i’ model was the i3, which launched way back in 2013 – when most electric cars (EVs) were undesirable and not remotely fun to drive. It was a bit of a revelation, with a radical design, stunning interior and clever carbon fibre construction. Like many innovative products, it wasn’t a sales success at first, but it became more popular throughout its life before finally ending production in 2022. 

Just before Tesla had delivered its first Model S in the UK, the i3 proved electric cars didn’t need to be slow and (thanks to BMW offering a range-extender model) only suitable for pottering about town. But BMW didn’t stop there, stunning the performance car world with the dramatic i8 sports car.

Using the same carbon fibre construction as the i3, the i8 was a little different because it wasn’t a full EV. BMW instead innovated with its first plug-in hybrid powertrain (one that remains unique in the sports car sector to this day). Its clever mid-engined design combined with those striking looks and scissor doors made it a groundbreaking machine, although buyers were cautious of change and it never really took off.

Since then BMW (along with all of its rivals) has gone big on plug-in hybrids, from the hugely popular 3 Series to the behemoth X5 SUV. But, most recently, it has rapidly expanded its fully electric offerings. In this article we look at its five ‘i’ models and examine what they offer to the market. 

BMW electric cars