BMW notch up 100k i model sales

BMW had chalked up its 100,000th sale in the 'green car' BMW i program, as the German carmaker this month marks the three-year anniversary of the project.

To date, just the i3 city car and the i8 performance coupe are serving as BMW's i cars. The i3 is available in either 'BEV' all-electric guise or 'REX' range-extended models with the latter using a twin-cylinder petrol engine as a generator.

The i8 is only available as a range-extended hybrid, with internal combustion power coming via a three-cylinder petrol engine which also provides drive when required.

BMW says the i3 is leading the 'premium compact electric vehicle' segment, and the city car has contributed more than 60,000 of the 100,000 BMW i sales. Of these customers, more than 80 percent have bought a BMW for the first time.

The i8 has racked up more than 10,000 sales, while the remainder of the 100,000 figure belongs to plug-in hybrid BMW iPerformance models including 3 Series and X5 SUV variants.

"BMW i remains our spearhead in terms of innovation and it will continue to open up ground-breaking technologies for the BMW Group," BMW CEO Harald Kruger said. 

"When it comes to electric drivetrains, we've already successfully managed to put this technology transfer on the road. The next technological advance we will address is automated driving, where the BMW iNEXT will set a new benchmark."

BMW is not resting on its laurels, with the i program set for an influx of new models over the next few years. 

Confirmed, to date, are the new BMW i8 Roadster, the MINI Countryman E and the all-electric BMW X3 SUV.

Reports out of Europe point to other new models as well, including a direct rival for Tesla's Model 3 and Model S - which could simply be all-electric variations of the 3- and 5 Series. 

BMW is known to be developing its i5 crossover, with recently-uncovered patent images sparking renderings which potentially preview the new EV (see image, above).

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