The mid-cycle update of the BMW i3 will be paired with a more sporty i3s version for 2018.

The coming year could be a big one for the battery-car market. Manufacturers are starting to roll out what promises to be a flood of new choices by the end of the decade. And while the spotlight seems to be centered on the new Tesla Model 3, buyers will have a number of options to choose from for 2018, including an all-new version of the BMW i3 city car.

Make that versions – plural – as the Bavarian maker is not only rolling out the second-generation i3 but adding a sportier version that it has dubbed the i3s. While primarily designed for urban living, both variants will offer the option of adding a range-extending two-cylinder gasoline engine for the occasional, longer trip out into the suburbs.

Electrifying!

First introduced in the 2014 model-year, the BMW i3 has won a range of awards, most notably being named World Urban Car of the Year at the New York International Auto Show last spring. But it’s going to be facing a lot more competition in the near future, notably from products like the Tesla Model 3 and Chevrolet Bolt EV, both of which offer more than twice the range of the i3 in pure electric mode.

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