The Very Last BMW i3 Has Been Made

TheBMW i3was, at one point, BMW's electric liaison here in America. For nine whole years, in fact. However, since then, the electrified market has moved on. BMW itself now offers a new electric SUVand even an electric M car. There's even going to be an electric BMW 3 Series soon, which kind of cuts in on the i3's whole name thing.

So, today in Leipzig, the 250,000th BMW i3 rolled off the assembly line. It will be the last one ever made. Let's be clear first, before getting all teary-eyed. Thei3 died in America a few years back, but this, now this, is the final nail in the coffin on a global scale.

While the i3 was far from popular here in the States, the Europeans showed the small compact a little more love. BMW went so far as to call it "the world's most successful electric vehicle in the premium compact segment." Which is a pretty narrow scope for "world's best" anything. Still, it was a well-loved little hatch. BMW sold the i3 in more than 74 countries, and it's the car that took electric BMWs mainstream. Yes, you could argue the i8 helped, but the i3's accessibility wins out.

To mark the end of the i3's life, BMW commissioned a special HomeRun Edition, which is limited to only 10 cars. All of them come finished in BMW's Frozen (matte) paint from the brand's Individual catalog. If you're in Europe and want one, those colors are either Frozen Dark Grey or Frozen Red II. These cars will ride on 20-inch wheels, which is sure to look a little comical on such a small car.