BMW Australia has announced November 21 as the official release date of its first i model, the i3.
Speaking at the weekend's local press launch of the i8 hybrid sports car, which is due in showrooms next March, BMW Australia Product Manager Brendan Michel confirmed the official release date of the i3 will be a week after the media launch on November 12.
Sales of the i3, which was delayed from July due to global demand will be handled through one of six specialised dealers located in capital cities across Australia.
“It is difficult to anticipate sales figures, particularly for a new type of vehicle,” added Tom Noble, General Manager – Marketing at BMW Australia.
“But pending supply, we’d like to see 15 per month, in addition to two to three i8 monthly sales when it arrives.”
That's a drop in the ocean compared to the 10,000 i-cars BMW has already sold globally to date.
It is expected that the i3 Range Extender, which adds a small 650cc petrol engine to the standard i3’s electric motor, will form the bulk of the sales in Australia, given the additional $6000 ask over the base i3 EV's $63,900 (plus on-road costs) pricetag effectively doubles its driving range.