2016 BMW i3

Fuel economy, running costs, emissions and safety · from U.S. EPA and NHTSA data

The 2016 BMW i3 is sold in the U.S. with electric and plug-in hybrid power. The EPA lists 2 configurations for this model year, with combined economy from 39 to 124 MPGe and an estimated annual fuel cost of $600 to $2,050 at 15,000 miles.

Key numbers

What it costs to fuel

Across its configurations, the 2016 i3 costs about $600 to $2,050 a year to fuel at the EPA's 15,000-mile basis, averaging roughly $1,325. Over five years that is about $6,625 in fuel alone before maintenance, insurance and depreciation — which is why the running cost, not just the price, decides what a car really costs.

Relative to an average new vehicle, the most efficient i3 configuration saves about $8,500 in fuel over five years; less efficient versions spend more.

For context, the average combined economy of subcompact cars in this dataset is about 27 MPGe. The i3 sits roughly 54 MPGe above that mark at its midpoint, making it more efficient than average for its EPA class.

Configurations and fuel economy

Emissions, safety and size

The 2016 i3 records tailpipe CO₂ of 37-37 g/mi, an EPA smog rating of 9-10 out of 10, and an EPA electric range of 81 to 150 miles when running on battery. The EPA classifies it as subcompact cars.

Compare this car

Open the comparison tool to line this 2016 i3 up against any other vehicle in the database, or jump to other years and trims from the 2016 BMW i3 overview.

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Data: U.S. EPA FuelEconomy.gov (public domain) and NHTSA SafetyRatings. Figures are EPA estimates; real-world results vary.