After years of development and countless teasers, the commercial-production BMW i3 has finally been unveiled. The BMW i3 electric car was simultaneously unveiled in London, New York, and Beijing yesterday.
The unveiling took place “exactly two years after the BMW i3 Concept was presented in Frankfurt on 29 July 2011 prior to the International Motor Show (IAA),” BMW noted.
“The simultaneous launch in three continents highlights the global approach embodied by the BMW i3 towards resolving urban mobility issues worldwide. This approach is rooted in the holistic idea of a purpose-built vehicle concept boasting a unique design, sustainability throughout the value chain and complementary mobility services. As such, the BMW i3 redefines urban mobility for the present and future, setting benchmarks for sustainability, design, hallmark BMW dynamics and exemplary efficiency. It is the world’s first premium electric vehicle designed from the ground up to be powered by an electric drive system. It is also a world first by virtue of bringing together visionary design, pioneering technology and an innovative vehicle concept that includes a passenger cell made of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP).”
I already published a super-extensive article on the details of the BMW i3 and one announcing its price, so I’m not going to repeat all that. Let’s just get to the flash! Here’s a video of the world premiere of the BMW i3 (note that speeches about the BMW i3 don’t start until about 3:30 in):
And here’s an even flashier video, from BMW’s YouTube channel:
http://youtu.be/oG_Jktyi39g
Lastly, one more short video from BMW:
http://youtu.be/PkSuDL8lxY4
All images come from BMW. Many more images and more details are available on the BMW blog and in the BMW i3 World Premiere news release.