BMW Unveils i3 Electric Car BMW seems to have stepped into the limelight with confidence where its first all-new electric car is concerned. At its official introduction Monday in New York, London and Beijing, BMW promised that the i3 would be, despite its new architecture and batteries-only powertrain, like every other "ultimate driving machine" in terms of driving quality. With a starting price of $42,275, which includes a $925 destination charge but doesn't factor in federal or state electric vehicle incentives, the i3 is scheduled to hit dealership showrooms in North America in 2014. Despite its confidence in its product, BMW is making efforts to calm the jitters of potential buyers who are still wary of relatively new and unfamiliar electric-car technology. Naturally, one of the more prominent concerns people have about E.V."s is how far they will go before the batteries die. In an effort to assuage range anxiety, BMW will offer a navigation system designed to help drivers find nearby charging stations and roadside assistance for customers whose cars run out of juice midjourney. BMW says it has plans to expand the i Series into an electric subbrand, with the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car coming next. The automaker said at a news conference Monday that it expected the United States to be the primary market for the i3. According to BMW, the 2,700-pound i3"s 170-horsepower electric motor can propel the car from 0 to 60 miles per hour in about 7 seconds, with a top speed of 93 m.p.h. Its 80- to 100-mile range, using a 22-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery, can be extended by 12 percent in Eco Pro+ mode, and range can be further extended, to about 180 miles, with an optional 650-cc gasoline-powered range extender. The 34-horsepower auxiliary motor adds $3,850 to the car's price. From the beginning of the car's development, BMW has said the i3 would be designed around electric-powered mobility. With a "life module" and a "drive module" providing space for passengers and powertrain, respectively, BMW was able to make a carbon-fiber reinforced plastic pod it said was strong as steel, but 50 percent lighter.