The average work commute is 25.6 miles round-trip, according to the Federal Highway Administration. That means that in a BMW i3, you can take the long road home from work and maybe do some shopping along the way. You could even drive from LA to Palm Springs for the weekend and recharge overnight, or take a day trip from LA to Newport Beach and back on a single charge.
While many EV owners charge at home so they wake up every morning with a full charge, there are more than 18,000 charging stations in California, with plans for even more. That means you can often charge your BMW i3 where you park while grabbing lunch or grocery shopping – in a city lot or at work, and at many hotels, restaurants and shopping malls.
Enjoying emissions-free mobility doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice performance. The i3 is, after all, a BMW, and with its 170-hp electric motor, 181-hp for the i3s, these models set the benchmark for sporty performance among premium compact electric vehicles. And when you add the fact that you’ll never have to change the oil or fill up with gas, and it’s eligible for HOV lane access, the benefits of driving a BMW i3 can be life-changing.
The average California resident drives 12,000 miles per year and spends about $1,420 on gasoline. In comparison, the cost of electricity to power the BMW i3 is less than half that. Over the six-year average length of car ownership, that’s about $4,440 in gasoline savings.
We’ve assumed a fuel economy of 30 mpg for a comparable gasoline powered sedan. For example, the 2018 BMW 3 Series and $3.55 per gallon average for all grades of gasoline in CA: 12,000 miles / 30 miles/ gallon = 400 gallons/year. 400 gallons * 3.55/gallon = $1,420 for gasoline per year or $8,520 for gasoline in six years.
We’ve assumed a combined electricity consumption of 30 kwH per 100 miles for the BMW i3 and the 2018 CA average of $0.189 per kwH for electricity: 12,000 miles / 100 * 30 kwH = 3,600 kwH/year. 3,600 kwH * $0.189/kwH = $680 for electricity per year or $4,080 for electricity in six years.
The BMW i3 is eligible for a federal tax credit of up to $7,500.
Actual savings from the federal government depend on your tax situation. We recommend consulting a tax professional to validate credit availability and eligibility. While BMW of North America, LLC, does its best to keep this information up-to-date, it cannot guarantee the current accuracy or your eligibility. In addition, California owners are eligible for many other statewide and local incentives.
Please check energy.gov for information on eligibility and availability of incentives in your city or community.
The BMW Connected app provides a digital link between your BMW i3 and your smartphone.
Find out more about staying connected from your BMW Client Advisor.
