BMW’s all-electric i3 spotted again, this time on city streets



For a car that won't be available for another two years, the BMW i3 sure makes it around. A disguised version of the all-electric hatchback was spotted earlier this year sliding around in the snow, and now a much more formally-dressed i3 was captured strutting its stuff around Chicago.
The luxurious green ride was seemingly being filmed for a commercial, or some other promotional purpose, as it cruised down a Chicago street with a camera truck capturing every move. The lucky YouTube user who managed to snag the surprisingly high-quality video noted that the car was, as expected, completely silent. This stealthy feature is thanks to the i3's 170-horsepower, all-electric motor, which can power it for a full 100 miles on a single charge.
The i3 is the first in BMW's "i" line, which will also include the i8 — a gas/electric hybrid sports car. The city-minded i3 will be the very first zero emission vehicle produced by BMW, and is expected to carry a price tag of around $35,000. But don't write that check just yet, both vehicles aren't scheduled to make retail debuts until 2013.