More Facelifted BMW i3 Spy Photos Surface

BMW i3 facelift spied again – but still doesn't show much

This is what the new i3 looks like... or at least part of it.

The BMW i3 is due for a refresh. Already we know that the electric hatchback could get a sporty 'S' iteration – which we’ve seen testing – and now the updated Bimmer is back for a third set of spy photos, showing off… well, not much.

Like the two sets of spy photos before it, the overall shape of the new i3 doesn’t change much from the outgoing model. A healthy amount of camouflage on the lower half and the rear keeps most of the updated details under wraps. But overall, BMW is painting a pretty familiar picture.

As far as power is concerned, earlier reports suggest that the sporty i3S could come with as much as 200 horsepower (149 kilowatts) and 184 pound-feet (249 Newton-meters of torque. That would be a significant improvement on top of the currently available 168 horsepower (125 kilowatts) and 184 pound-feet (249 Newton-meters) of torque.

With all that added oomph, the i3S will reportedly sprint to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in just under seven seconds, and improve upon its 93 mph (150 kmh) top speed. Range is also expected to get an update by nearly 50 percent. The new i3 could get as much as 200 miles (321 kilometers) on a single charge.

Along with the new i3S, the entirety of the range is expected to get improvements aplenty. Things like a new, more ergonomic cabin, a range of color options, and a few styling tweaks both inside and out will give buyers more incentive to opt for the new model.

BMW estimates that EVs could make up as much as 15 to 25 percent of the automaker’s volume by 2025. Already the company has moved around 60,000 i3s and 10,000 i8s since the two cars were introduced in 2013. The new i3 will make it debut later in the year and is expected to go on sale near the beginning of 2018. No word on pricing, but it should stay somewhere under the $45,000 mark starting off.

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Source: Automedia

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