
Figuring out the competitors for the 2014 BMW i3 may be the toughest challenge face by buyers--and by BMW's own marketers.
The all-electric city car costs more than $40,000 and yet is shorter than any other five-door luxury car sold in the U.S.
Many buyers view it as similar to the Chevy Volt, when the i3 is fitted with its optional range-extending engine, but the Volt is far less radical in design, materials, or conception.
The highly lauded Tesla Model S may be the best electric car in the world, but it's a large luxury sedan with seats for five and ranges of more than 200 miles--not to mention a price roughly twice that of the electric BMW.
The Nissan Leaf is the best-selling electric car in the world, but it has nothing like the interior grace and clever details of the i3, nor is it remotely luxurious.
In some ways, the i3's closest functional competitor may be the Smart ForTwo Electric Drive, the battery-powered two-seat city car.
But the Smart is now aged, crude, and spartan against the wider, quicker, and far more pleasant i3.
Finally, there's the Lexus CT 200h, the smallest luxury hatchback sold today.
It uses gasoline, unlike all the others, but it delivers a genuine 40 miles per gallon and a healthy dose of luxury features--at a price somewhat lower than the plug-in BMW i3.
Get FREE Dealer Quotes
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
---|---|---|---|---|
Quick Specs | ||||
The 2014 BMW i3 is a truly radical attempt to reinvent the car--and the BMW--for the crowded cities of a new century. |
The 2014 Chevrolet Volt is one of the best plug-in vehicles on the market, and it costs $5,000 less than it did last year. |
The 2014 Nissan Leaf is the world's most popular battery electric car, and the greenest--but it can take time to get used to real-world ranges of 60 to 90 miles. |
The 2014 Smart ForTwo is now an old design, but it remains the easiest car to park in cities, and it's at its best in urban traffic; the electric model, new last year, is the nicest of the bunch, and now remarkably cheap. |
Now in its third year, the 2014 Tesla Model S has no direct competitor. It remains the undisputed top choice in the growing world of plug-in electric cars, and there's a good case to be made that it's the most advanced car of any kind on the planet. |
MSRP From | ||||
$41,350 | $34,185 | $28,980 | $13,270 | $69,900 |
Gas Mileage | ||||
35 MPG City / 40 MPG Hwy | 34 MPG City / 38 MPG Hwy | |||
Engine | ||||
Electric | Gas/Electric I4 | Electric | Premium Unleaded I-3 | Electric |
EPA Class | ||||
Subcompact Cars | Compact Cars | Mid-Size Cars | Two-Seaters | Large Cars |
Style Name | ||||
4-Door HB | 5-Door HB | 4-Door HB S | 2-Door Coupe Passion | 4-Door Sedan 60 kWh Battery |
Drivetrain | ||||
Rear Wheel Drive | Front wheel drive | Front Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
Passenger Capacity | ||||
4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 5 |
Passenger Doors | ||||
N/A | 4 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Body Style | ||||
Hatchback | Hatchback | Hatchback | Coupe | Hatchback |
Transmission | ||||
Automatic | Automatic | Automatic | Auto-Shift Manual w/OD | Automatic |
Detailed Spec Comparison | ||||
2014 BMW i3 vs. 2014 Chevrolet Volt | 2014 BMW i3 vs. 2014 Nissan Leaf | 2014 BMW i3 vs. 2014 smart fortwo | 2014 BMW i3 vs. 2014 Tesla Model S |