A fresh report out of the UK suggests that the end of the BMW i3 is near. Will you miss the quirky electric car?

The story from Autocar in the UK says production of the BMW i3 will come to an end in the middle of 2020. With around 250 000 units finding homes around the world since its global launch back in 2013, the BMW i3 had plenty of fans.

The quirky and futuristic looks, the suicide doors, the use of carbon fibre and recycled materials added to the appeal. It was cleverly packaged, with customers being able to opt for a pure electric version, or a range-extender that featured an onboard petrol-powered generator.

Despite it’s age, we’d say it still looks relatively fresh and modern. Sadly, it appears that it’s the end of the road with a BMW spokesperson confirming to Autocar that the last example will be coming off the line in July 2022. It appears the factory will be reconfigured to make other vehicles.

As far as a replacement model goes, it is thought an all-electric version of the BMW X1 is one of the likely replacements as well as a 2nd-gen version of the electric Mini. Interestingly, this new Mini is the result of a joint venture between Great Wall Motors and BMW Group. Spy shots of this all-new electric Mini have surfaced, giving us a preview of what’s to come.

We’ve had only pleasant memories with the BMW i3. Our last taste came in December 2019, when we got behind the wheel of the updated i3 and had this to say: “the i3 makes for a compelling (and let’s face it, conversation-starting) city car. Better yet, if you’re in a 2-car household then you can easily slot the i3 in as a charmingurban runabout with the internal-combustion engined vehicle being used to transport the family on longer journeys.”

The question is, do you think they’ll be worthwhile on the 2nd-hand market? Well, a quick look at the BMW i3 listings suggests that they’re being snapped up, with only 2021 models being advertised.

As electric cars become more widely accepted, we fear that eccentric electric cars like the i3 will become a dying breed.

Further Reading

BMW i3 REX Review