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BMW to Offer Range Extender on i3 EV
BMW AG says it will offer an optional range extender on its little i3 electric city car that could quadruple the vehicle's range.
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BMW AG says it will offer an optional range extender on its little i3 electric city car that could quadruple the vehicle's range.
The i3 has a range of about 60 miles in electric mode. BMW says the extender system, which consists of a trunk-mounted two-cylinder motorcycle engine and generator, gives the car the ability to travel another 190 miles or so.
R&D chief Herbert Diess tells Automotive News expects half of initial i3 buyers will opt for the extender. But he predicts that ratio will drop to 20% as consumers realize they rarely need the system.
Diess opines that the i3 is intended for urban commuters. He says users who expect to use the range extender every day should buy a plug-in hybrid instead.
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