Electric vehicles, especially ones from Germany, are not overly expensive to purchase initially. The concern lies more in the cost of maintenance and replacing accessories after years of operation. According to recent reports, BMW i3 electric car owners have been informed by dealerships that the price of replacing the battery is around $30,000.
The BMW i3 was a compact electric car known for its affordable price.
Currently, this small car model has been discontinued for 3 years. Dealerships are issuing large repair bills for i3 owners, specifically related to the high-voltage battery that the car uses.
The BMW i3 battery contains 8 battery cells, and if one of them deteriorates, the owner will have to spend a large amount of money to replace it. Some posts on social media indicate that the repair bill provided by BMW dealerships is $33,000 for a battery pack (about 770 million VND). Others have reported bills as high as $38,000.
Another Reddit user shared a surprising image, revealing that they spent $71,208 (approximately 1.65 billion VND) to replace the BMW i3 battery. Moreover, this amount is even higher than the sale price of a BMW i3 in 2021, ranging from $45,445 to $52,495.
On the other hand, customers who purchased the BMW i3 with the extended range battery package can save thousands of dollars on battery replacement. This is because that version enjoys a 10-year or 150,000-mile warranty provided by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) specifically for zero-emission vehicles.
If BMW i3 owners want to find a more affordable repair solution, they can visit independent repair shops. Many people believe that out of the 8 battery cells in the BMW i3, only 1 cell is faulty and can be replaced by a reputable shop or skilled mechanic for less than $10,000, as a single battery cell available at a dealership costs less than $3,500.
From the above figures, it can be seen that the price of a BMW i3 is not excessively high at the time of purchase, but the maintenance and replacement costs are not insignificant.
