Forget, temporarily, some of that things that were said when the production 2014 BMW i3 electric car was revealed last summer.
For the first three months it’s on sale in the U.S., BMW’s first-ever electric car will only be available in one trim level, according to InsideEVs.
2014 BMW i3 (German-market version), Amsterdam, Oct 2013
While the BMW i3 will eventually be offered in three trim levels–dubbed Mega, Giga, and Tera–it will only be offered in “Launch Edition” trim at, errr, launch.
The Launch Edition will essentially be a loaded car, with the top Tera World interior as well as metallic paint.
And it will bundle together several options, including the Parking Package, Technology and Driver Assist Package, DC Quick Charge Option (which uses the Combined Charging Standard), heated seats, and the premium Harman Kardon audio system.
MORE: 2014 BMW i3: First Drive Of BMW’s Radical New Electric Car
Priced individually, those options would add about $4,000 to the i3’s base price of $42,275 (including destination) before any applicable Federal, state, or local incentives.
Automakers sometimes price special-edition models at an amount that is lower than the sum of their options, although it is unclear if BMW will do that with the Launch Edition.
2014 BMW i3, 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show
With every i3 sold during the first three months equipped this way, the only choices buyers have to make will be paint color, whether or not to opt for 20-inch Sport wheels–and whether to get the range-extended model, which costs $3,850 more than an all-electric i3.
Production of the Launch Edition i3 will start in March and continue through May, so customers who want a different mix of features will have to wait several months to get their cars.
BMW expects U.S. demand for the i3 to be strong.
However it is specified, the 2014 BMW i3 uses a 22-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack powering a 125-kilowatt (170-horsepower) electric motor driving the rear wheels. The EPA electric range rating has not yet been released.
Range-extended models also have a 650-cc, motorcycle-derived two cylinder gasoline engine, expected to add roughly 80 miles to the car’s electric range of 80 to 100 miles.
_______________________________________________
Follow GreenCarReports on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
View original article at : “https://www.greencarreports.com//news/1090256_2014-bmw-i3-electric-car-orders-limited-to-single-trim-level-for-3-months”
