UPDATE: BMW i3 Electric Earns High Marks in Pre-Debut Tests

The little i3 electric people mover BMW AG plans to debut in Europe in November and in the U.S. a few months later is getting warm reviews from enthusiast publications that tested preproduction prototypes of the car earlier this week.

California-based Edmunds.com calls the 13-foot-long four-door "perhaps the most engaging electric car of our times." The U.K.'s Auto Express gushes that the i3 is "extremely impressive" and says the car's sporty demeanor will make it "a hugely fun way to go green."

The car weighs a relatively svelte 2,600 lbs, thanks to its all-carbon-fiber structure and extensive use of other lightweight materials. An electric motor that delivers 168 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels can propel the EV from zero to 62 mph in 7.2 seconds and a top speed of 93 mph.

A 22-kWh lithium-ion battery beneath the floor propels the i3 for 83-118 miles per charge, depending upon driving mode and ambient temperature. Customers will be able to nearly double that range by adding an on-board generator powered by a two-cylinder, 650-cc gasoline engine, according to BMW.

Testers praise the car's low center of gravity, "punchy" acceleration, "sensationally refined" highway manners and surprisingly grippy 155/70-19 tires.

BMW tells Edmunds.com that the standard i3 will retail in the U.S. for about $44,000. The company has declined to comment on media speculation that the range-extender engine will cost between $2,000 and $3,000.