BMW officially unveils The i3

BMW is poised to release its first-ever electric luxury car on July 29^th, 2013. The long-awaited 2014 BMW i3 electric car will join its thirstier siblings and offer up something new for clients while opening up full throttle with a new niche for the BMW brand. While European deliveries for the i3 began in November, they are just starting stateside.

The highly anticipated BMW i3 electric car made its world debut at simultaneous events in Beijing, London and New York this morning. It will go on sale in Canada in the first half of 2014 starting at $44,950. The BMW i3 boasts a 170-horsepower electric motor and offers a range of 130-160 kilometers.

BMW no doubts expects the i3 to be a low volume production car. It is, in a sense, for early adopters. The 22-kilowatt, 450-pound lithium-ion powertrain is good for just 80-100 miles and provides 170 horsepower and 184 found-feet of torque. That’s good for a pokey 7.0 second 0-60 time. For those buyers with a bit of range anxiety, the i3 can be equipped with a 34-hp, 650cc two-cylinder generator, turning the car into a Chevy Volt-like extended range electric vehicle.