autoevolution
cars
moto
news
car reviews
spyshots
driven cars
newspaper
green
Compare Cars
BAC Calculator
Editorial
Coverstory
Motorsport
Testdrives archive
Auto Shows
Tuning
Car Finder
Photo of the Day
Glossary of automotive terms
Masthead
RSS Feeds
More on this:1 750 HP BMW M5 vs. McLaren 570S Drag Race Is Confusing2 BMW F90 M5 Chosen As 2018 MotoGP Safety Car, Previews M5 M Performance Parts3 BMW i8 vs. Audi R8 Spyder: Two Different Supercars That Get Under Your Skin4 2019 BMW X4 M40i Spied Near The Nurburgring, To Offer More Rear Headroom5 2018 BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer Facelift Spied Up Close and Personal
Up next
Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus Teases McLaren F1-Clone Cockpit for Its Supercar
BMW i3 Production Hits 100,000 Units, i8 Roadster To Be Made In Leipzig
30 Oct 2017, 14:15 UTC · by Mircea Panait
/ Home / News / Car Profile
Inaugurated in 2010, the Leipzig plant in Germany is where BMW manufactures the i3 and i8. The former celebrates a production milestone after the 100,000th i3 rolled off the assembly line, while the i8 family will usher in the Roadster in 2018. And similar to the coupe, it will also be built in Leipzig.
85 photosThese announcements were made by plant director Hans-Peter Kemser and chairman of the Board of Management, Harald Kruger, as the launch of the BMW Battery Storage Farm. Essentially a storage unit comprised of 700 batteries sourced from used i3s, the eco-friendly setup is connected to the plant’s wind turbines, and it’s integrated with the public power grid of Saxony.
Moving back to cars, the i3 is currently produced at a rate of approximately 120 vehicles per day. In regard to production, the number of i3s manufactured in 2016 totals 26,631, sensibly more than the 2,783 i8s built in the same period. The ratio will likely soldier on in 2018, when the i8 Roadster will be added to the range, breathing new life into the brand’s plug-in hybrid flagship.
According to Kruger, BMW will offer no less than 25 models with electrified drivetrains by 2025, including the long-anticipated i5 and the iNext. “With BMW i as our spearhead, we intend to remain the leading premium supplier of electro-mobility going forward,” declared the official. Speaking of electro-mobility going forward, the 530e iPerformance is the first BMW to be offered with wireless charging capability, a feature that’ll become available next year.
While the i8 Roadster is too expensive for the reach of mere mortals who want to go green, the i3 is more than adequate for those in the market for a premium-oriented EV and range-extended electric vehicle. According to an undisclosed tipster, the i3 will receive a battery upgrade sometime in 2018, which is expected to offer 42.5 kWh capacity and a much-needed boost in driving range.
Shell Angry at Bans on Fossil Fuel-Burning Cars Because of Course They Are
The Dos and Don’ts of Washing a Motorcycle, Part One
Headwave TAG Helmet Music and Navigation System Reviewed
German Combustion Engines Have Six Years To Walk The Plank
The Dos and Don’ts of Washing a Motorcycle, Part Two (Final)
Coolest Obscure Mercedes-AMG Models in History
Elon Musk Is Not the Manipulative Mastermind Everyone Takes Him for These Days
NHTSA and IIHS Crash Test Scores Explained
Electric Car Charging Plugs, The Beta vs. VHS Battle of the 21st Century
Could Volkswagen Group's Electric Plans Include Ducati?
Autonomous Driving Levels Explained
1990s Cars That Created Ongoing Market Trends
On Electric Harleys and New Generations
Euro NCAP Testing Procedures Explained
The Biggest Anticipations in Motorcycling for 2016, Part 1
New Year's Resolutions for Carmakers
Ford's Autonomous Police Car Explained
The Hackrod Future of Car Manufacturing
Who's Your Number One?
Hybrids, Plug-Ins and Electric Cars: Which Batteries Are Best?
Top 10 Cars That Define the United States of America
BMW models:BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer (F45) CompactBMW 2 Series Active Tourer (F45) CompactBMW i8 Roadster Roadster & ConvertibleBMW i8 CoupeBMW M3 CS (F80) MediumAll BMW models