BMW i3 Review, For Sale, Models, Colours, Interior & News | CarsGuide

BMW touts its i3 as the first car built from the ground up around a fully electric drivetrain, but a number of factors hold the clever small car back in Australia.

Built around a revolutionary carbon composite passenger cell and aluminum driveline platform, the four-seat, four-door i3 is powered by a 125kW electric motor sitting between the rear wheels. An optional 650cc petrol engine can be fitted to charge the i3’s battery, but it’s not connected to the drive wheels. With this extender, the i3’s range grows from 150km to 300km.

Price ranges from $65,780 for the i Series I3 S 120AH up to $75,570 for the i Series I3 S 120AH. The lack of a charging network has kept a lid on i3 sales, while a lack of support from state and federal governments in offering incentives for EV buyers has not helped, either.