BMW reportedly moved i3 orders forward due to overwhelming customer interest. The electric sedan has generated strong demand across Europe and China. Production timing remains unchanged despite the accelerated ordering schedule. The BMW i3 is a huge step forward for the brand as it takes the 3-Series into fully electric territory. According to a new report, the automaker couldn’t be happier with the response. Rather than open up orders later this year, it’s going to do so this week. Production won’t ramp up sooner, but BMW will take customers’ orders starting Thursday. According to a report from Automobilwoche citing company sources, BMW will begin taking orders for a special “1st Edition” version of the i3 starting June 18. The move is notable because the original plan reportedly called for orders to open sometime this fall. BMW hasn’t publicly confirmed the change, but the publication says strong customer interest following the car’s March debut in Munich prompted the decision. That enthusiasm shouldn’t come as a complete surprise. BMW executives were already hinting at an unusually strong response shortly after the i3’s reveal. Sales chief Jochen Goller reportedly said interest in the sedan surpassed even the positive reaction generated by the upcoming iX3. That’s a significant benchmark considering the electric SUV is said to have accumulated around 50,000 orders just months after its unveiling, plus more than 10,000 sales in Europe in only two months. Also: Two Months Was All BMW’s iX3 Needed To Crack 10,000 Sales In Europe The i3’s appeal also appears to stretch well beyond BMW’s home market. The report indicates the sedan has received positive feedback from Europe and China alike, with its appearance at the Beijing Auto Show helping raise its profile in one of the world’s most important EV markets. BMW has even suggested the i3 could help breathe new life into the midsize sedan segment. That’s an ambitious claim, but the specifications certainly give the company something to talk about. The version shown so far, the i3 50 xDrive, delivers 469 horsepower (350 kW) from a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup and is claimed to offer up to 900 kilometers (559 miles) of range under the applicable test cycle. Read: Lexus’s BMW i3 Sedan Rival Is Dead, But Its Most Ambitious Tech Isn’t Despite the accelerated ordering timeline, production plans reportedly remain unchanged. BMW is expected to begin series production of the i3 at its Munich plant in August. If customer demand is truly as strong as reported, the bigger question may not be when orders open, but if BMW can build enough cars to keep up. Image Credit: BMW
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