BMW'S FUNKY AND FORWARD-THINKING I3 IS NOW A BARGAIN IN 2025

The automotive world is still trying to find its feet today as it stumbles towards electrification. Manufacturers continue to test the waters to see what consumers will like, and this sometimes leads to unusual or even quirky offerings. However, back in 2013, some companies were really stretching credibility with some of their offbeat products, and BMW was leading the charge.

It came out with a short, tall, and decidedly odd car that looked more like a science experiment than a serious offering. This was the company’s first product within its new electric “i” sub-brand, and the German manufacturer was trying to radically propose what a modern city car could be. This is the story of the i3, which was incredible back then but is now, a dozen years later, rather cheap to buy.

The Futuristic BMW That Nobody Got

For the i3, BMW decided to mix some advanced materials and bold styling ideas to come up with a boxy and ungainly car. It had rear-hinged back doors, a roofline that somehow melted into the glasswork, and arrived when the world was still in love with diesel efficiency while still trying to get its head around the Tesla hype. Here was a vehicle that rejected the traditional internal combustion formula and proposed an efficient, sustainable commuter instead. Unfortunately, it was way too far ahead of its time and was also too pricey, at almost $43,000. But if you want an early i3 today, you can typically buy one for a fraction of the price.

The City Car With A Carbon-Fiber Chassis

BMW built the entire passenger cell of the i3 from carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic, the same type of material you typically find in a high-end supercar like the McLaren 12C. Boldly, BMW deployed this material into a subcompact hatchback, giving the company a lot of flexibility in the vehicle’s design. So, it created the “Life Module,” which was a rigid carbon-fiber cell for the passengers, and the “Drive Module,” where you’d find the battery, electric motor, and suspension. The whole vehicle weighed in at just 2,635 pounds, which was really light for any EV and almost half a ton less than a Tesla Model 3.

The carbon-fiber approach also meant that the i3 was very strong. For example, the frame didn’t require any heavy reinforcement and allowed for thinner panels on top to improve crash safety and efficiency. Behind the scenes, BMW was even using hydroelectric energy at the production plant to produce the carbon fiber—another nod towards sustainability. Meanwhile, the car’s body panels were thermoplastic, so they would flex rather than dent in the event of a wreck, cutting down on repairs from minor city skirmishes. And at the end of its life, you could recycle the doors and roof panels, with that type of material sustainability being very rare back in 2013.

The Electric Power Plant And The Tiny Motorcycle Engine

When it came to new-age propulsion, BMW fitted an electric motor at the rear to send 170 hp and 184 lb.-ft of torque to the back wheels. This made the vehicle very agile, and the instant torque made it exceptionally quick off the line. You could get to 60 mph in about 7.2 seconds, which was far quicker than most hybrids and old-fashioned compact gas cars. If you got the range extender version (ReX), you would also have a tiny 0.6-liter two-cylinder gas engine, which came out of BMW’s C650 scooter. This wasn’t connected to the rear wheels but rather acted as a generator to help maintain the battery charge if needed. So BMW could sell this to people who worried about range anxiety without officially turning it into a traditional hybrid. In the range extender models, you’d get an electric capability of up to 114 miles before the gas generator needed to do its work. That generator could offer roughly 80 more miles, and for urban or suburban use, this was usually good enough for most people.

Eco-Luxury Before Sustainability Became Fashionable

On board the i3, you’d find a cabin with an airy, minimalist vibe. It was very different to other BMWs from the time and felt more like a concept car than a serious proposition. BMW used layers of eucalyptus wood around the dashboard with recycled plastics and open-pore fibers. You’d get seats made out of renewable materials like wool blends and kenaf, and the company tanned the leather with olive-leaf extract, claiming this to be an industry first.

The driver would get one screen for information and another one for infotainment, and there was a floating center console to free up space on the floor. All in all, the interior was not just lightweight but also low-emission when it came to its production. Again, BMW was ahead of its time with this approach to eco-luxury that most premium automakers now embrace today.

Performance to Make City Driving Fun Again

While some people poked at the i3 for its overly bold approach, they certainly couldn’t criticize it for being soulless. It had plenty of get-up-and-go, and with that instant throttle response, tiny turning circle, and rear-drive layout, it cut through traffic like a go-kart. It also handled remarkably well out on the road, as, due to its underfloor battery and low center of gravity, it felt really stable despite those skinny tires. Later on, you could also get a sportier variant called the i3s with 184 hp, an even lower ride height, and a wider track. This certainly didn’t go so far as to make a hot hatch out of the i3, but it moved it a little closer to a true BMW in terms of its reflexes.

The Market Wasn’t Ready For The Weird i3

The i3 wasn’t a huge success for BMW despite its undoubted brilliance and bravery. Buyers tended to find it too polarizing, complained about its modest range compared to a Tesla, and didn’t want to pay that kind of money either. Traditional BMW fans certainly turned their noses up at its tall, narrow hatchback form that was far less like the 3 Series and more like a concept car. Also, people still tended to view electric cars as glorified golf carts, and wondered what would happen if they damaged the i3's carbon panels. Surely, you’d need to replace the whole thing, as you couldn’t weld it, and that would be more expensive.

A Smart Used Buy Today

Those that did buy the i3 suffered from significant depreciation, and the car lost almost half its value in only three years. This is why you can buy a clean version today for around $12,000 and sometimes less if the mileage is high. But the previous owner’s loss could be your gain, as depreciation is stable now, and the early fears about battery longevity proved to be mostly unfounded. Many i3s still have their original pack with minimal degradation.

Running costs are very small with minimal maintenance considerations, thanks to the simplicity of the electric drivetrain. The little gas generator sips fuel, and insurance costs are reasonable. You’ll even get software updates for the vehicle’s life from BMW, which should improve charging management and efficiency.

A Misunderstood Experiment Turns Into A Design Icon

Perhaps the BMW i3 wasn’t a failed experiment after all, but more of a blueprint for what was to come. After all, most OEMs focus on similar, modular EV platforms today with bold design language and a sustainable interior philosophy. Yes, the i3 looked weird and was expensive at the time, but the bottom line is that it just arrived too early. So, looking at it through a historical lens, it was one of the most visionary cars ever, and today anyone can appreciate it due to its rock bottom price.

Sources: BMW, Bring a Trailer

2025-10-12T10:39:45Z