New battery and extended range for the BMW i3

The BMW i3 will get a new battery option from July, which BMW claims will extend the official range of the five-door electric hatchback from between 130-160km to around 314km.

The new Samsung lithium-ion battery has 33kWh of electrical energy when fully charged, 11kWh more than the existing unit. Changes to each of the 96 individual cells that make up the i3's new battery, including higher levels of electrolyte and new materials, have brought about the ­­­considerable increase in energy storage capacity. BMW says a new 11kW charging system allows the new battery to be charged in two hours and 45 minutes using a high-powered charger. 

The new battery will also be fitted in the i3 Range Extender model. This gives the petrol-electric hybrid an official overall range of up to 444km with a full charge and a full nine-litre tank of fuel. 

Existing owners of i3s can have the new 33kWh battery retrofitted because it retains the same dimensions as the existing 25kWh unit.