BMW is to offer 3-year leasing deals with a permitted total of 38,000km (8,000 miles a year) over the period for its first production electric car, the i3, writes Brian Byrne. The global reveal of the car will take place in London, New York and Beijing next week.
It will be available in Ireland from the end of November with a net price of €33,160 after deduction of the Irish Government grant for electric vehicles. Details of any Irish finance arrangements aren't yet available.
The BMW car (the concept of which we picture above) will be targeted directly at the most highly-specced Nissan Leaf, which now offers lower-specified versions in Europe in order to make the price more accessible.
The all-electric version will have a range of up to 160kms. A range-extended variant with a 2-cylinder petrol motorcycle engine to charge the battery and allow a 350kms capability will be available at an extra price in the region of €3,000.
A full charge will be achievable in four hours where fast-charge facilities are available. Otherwise it will be 8-12 hours on a standard home supply.
