Report: BMW Trying to Save the i3 With More EV Range

It’s no mystery the BMW i3 has been a disappointment for the German automaker, as its sales have never been great. What’s worse, i3 sales in 2017 have slid by nearly 24 percent. A new report indicates BMW will try to reverse this trend with the release of a longer-range model.

Just last year, BMW released a new 94 Ah battery for the i3 that pushed its range from 81 miles to 114. Now, according to BMW Blog, Bimmer is working on another new battery pack for next year. According to the report, this will be a 120-Ah battery with a 42.5-kWh capacity — the 2018 i3’s battery is 96 Ah and 33 kWh.

This would, reportedly, bump the i3’s EV range by 25 percent, putting it at 142.5 miles. Sure, that’s not on par with the leaders in the segment, but it gets the i3 out of the cellar and nearly even with the all-new Nissan LEAF.

This longer-range battery pack would join the refreshed-for-2018 i3, which boasts a wider appearance thanks to a few styling updates and an updated suspension to give the driver more confidence in the corners. The 2018 i3’s motor will continue to produce 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, which would likely remain the same with the new battery.

For now, this is just a rumor, but BMW Blog claims to have confirmed it. We’ll keep an eye on this, so stay tuned for updates.