BMW has announced Irish prices for its ground-breaking new i3 electric city car. As expected, the base price will be a 5 Series-sized €43,160 but, thanks to the electric car vehicle registration tax rebate and the grant from the Sustainable Energy Authority, that price drops to a much more reasonable €33,160. That compares well with a UK price tag of just over £25,000.
The price puts the i3 roughly half way between the cost of a Nissan Leaf or an Opel Ampera, but it is significantly smaller than either rival. That said, with its lightweight aluminium and carbon-fibre structure, the i3 should offer a more engaging driving experience than either. Irish deliveries will start in November.
Will this be the car to finally kick off the electric transport revolution? Ian Robertson, member of the board of management, sales and marketing at BMW, said: “The BMW i3 heralds the dawn of a new era for individual mobility and for the BMW Group. True to a genuine BMW, the BMW i3 has strong emotional appeal, outstanding product substance and a guarantee of sheer driving pleasure.”