BMW has big plans for its future EV lineup, but it didn't look as if the i3 was going to be part of that plan. Things were looking bleak for BMW's first-ever EV, as BMW has said there are no plans to renew it beyond the current generation. The current model has been on sale for six years, so the i3 is already living on borrowed time since a successor would normally be overdue at this point in a model's lifecycle. However, BMW is planning to give the i3 a new lease of life according to a report by Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

"The i3 will continue to be produced, no question about it," said BMW CEO, Oliver Zipse. The car is already an icon today. Which car can claim this after only six years? Icons are ticking a different logic, they don't have a classic successor, they always remain true to themselves in essence. Today, the i3 is more in demand than ever and will make another leap in battery and operating concepts". So not only will the i3 live on for several more years than expected, but it will also be updated with new battery tech to keep it competitive.

According to Zipse, sales of the i3 have increased in Europe by 20 percent since 2018, which is impressive for a car that's six years old. For the 2019 model year, BMW upgraded the i3 with a 42.2 kWh battery to replace the previous model's 33 kWh battery, resulting in an increased electric range of up to 153 miles. In the base model, an electric motor delivers 170 horsepower, enabling the i3 to hit 62 mph from a standstill in 7.2 seconds. The more powerful i3s, on the other hand, increases the output to 181, resulting in a 0-62 mph time of 6.8 seconds.