So this, or an X2 M35i?
German luxury marque BMW have confirmed that Australia will be receiving the updated and uprated i3 electric hatchback in February next year, with its bigger battery and revised range. The i3 and i3S will both be coming to our shores, priced at $68,700 and $69,900 respectively (before on-road costs).
The big change here is the 42kWh lithium-ion battery pack, that gives the i3 a real-world driving range of 260km on a single charge, besting the outgoing car with its smaller battery by some 60km. The new battery takes 19.5-hours to charge from 0-80% from a wall-socket, with 9.7-hours needed from a 3.7kW one-phase wallbox charger, 3.2-hours if you have a beefier 11kW three-phase wallbox, or just 42-minutes with a 50kW DC fast-charger.
The standard i3 will be able to go from rest to 100km/h in just 7.3-seconds, while the i3S will do it in 6.9-seconds. Power for the i3 is rated at 123kW/250Nm, while the i3S puts out a bit more at 135kW and 270Nm.
A range of kit upgrades will also greet MY19 i3 buyers, with things like wireless phone charging & Apple CarPlay as standard, as well as full keyless entry & go. Additionally, all cars will continue to benefit from a 10.25-inch central infotainment screen (Navigation System Professional they call it), ConnectedDrive systems, Driving Assistant Plus (city-speed AEB, smart cruise control, traffic-sign recognition), a rear view camera, and semi-autonomous parking.
If that’s not enough kit, you can add on adaptive LED headlights with automatic high-beam, but BMW has yet to price this rather desirable option.
There are new colours for the exterior, as well as a new cabin colour combo. Optionally, you can add on Vernasca leather along with Eucalyptus or Dark Oak open-pore interior trim panels.
The 2019 BMW i3 and i3S will be arriving in showrooms by February. It begs the question though: With prices starting at $68,700 for an electric hatch that can hit 100km/h from 0 in just 7.3-seconds, will it end up persuading potential buyers out of the new BMW X2 M35i?
For the best deals on a new BMW, check out our Showroom.
