BMW Considering Increasing i8 Production

2015 BMW i8 (Credit: BMW)

The BMW i8’s wild styling and high levels of tech has fueled a considerable amount of demand. In fact, the German automaker is reportedly looking to increase production of the futuristic model. The move would slash the amount of time consumers are having to wait for delivery of the i8, says Automotive News, which in turn could only make everyone happier. Right now, some people are waiting as long as a year and a half to park the i8 in their garage, with the supposed goal of the production increase to cut that down to no more than 6 months.

The rumored move would not lower the $135,700 price tag of the i8, or make it a high-volume model by any stretch of the imagination. It has only been available for purchase in the United States since August of 2014. So far, the company has delivered 760 i8s to buyers, with 419 of those given to customers just in October. Estimates by IHS Automotive predict final-year sales for the i8 of 3,238 units. That number is also expected to rise to 4,318 units for 2015.

The reason(s) for stronger-than-expected demand for the BMW i8 right now appear to be open to debate. Some say it’s evidence that more people are hungry for plug-in vehicles, although the BMW i3 has seen a recent dip in sales after a strong debut in the market. Others think the “cool” factor of the i8 is fueling the strong demand, with the car looking essentially like nothing else on the market today. For those who want a vehicle that turns heads and draws a crowd wherever they go, the BMW i8 is a dream come true.

Despite what some people think, the BMW i8 is a plug-in hybrid and not a fully-electric vehicle. The car can be driven purely on electricity, or with a combination of gasoline and electricity.