BMW has confirmed that both the i3 and i8 will not be getting replacement models once their production runs come to a close. BMW Board Member Pieter Nota confirmed that there were no concrete plans for the i3 and that that the company was focused on bringing electrification to their mainstream product lineup.
The i3 will probably continue to be produced through 2020, but beyond that things are unclear. Earlier this month it was revealed that the i8 too would share a similar fate. What becomes of the BMW i Division after these two production vehicles get taken out of the showroom.
BMW i3 and i8 in Malaysia
The latest version of the BMW i3 was recently introduced to the Malaysian market, the i3S with a launch price of RM279,000. In terms of performance, the BMW i3s gets a 184hp/270Nm synchronous electric motor with an all-electric range of 260km.
It goes from 0-100km/h in 6.9 seconds and has a top speed of 160km/h. In terms of kit, you get:
- Full LED headlights
- a variant-specific rear spoiler
- 10mm lowered sports suspension
- increased track width of 40mm
- 20-inch BMW i light alloy wheels in double-spoke style 431 with mixed tyres.
BMW Malaysia has been selling variants of the i8 here since mid-2015 and have kept it updated with a new Roadster sibling. The i8 debuted in Malaysia for RM1.5 million.
The i8 debuted with a turbocharged 1.5-litre engine and an electric motor working in tandem. The engine was initially tuned to produce 231 PS and 320 Nm of torque with the electric motor providing 131 PS and 250 Nm of torque from near zero rpm. Together, the system works to produce 362 PS and 570 Nm of torque.
With the updated model, the i8’s total system output was increased by a notable margin and it even got a larger battery to go along with the alternative roadster body style.
