Skip to main content
BMW

BMW i3 build years & generations

Coverage 2013-20222 named generationsHatchbackELECTRICITY / HYBRID ELECTRIC

The BMW i3 spans several build years and named generations (2013-2022). Match a build year to its generation, then see how each group of build years does at its MOT.

Build years & generations, side by side

Find the build years you're looking at and see which generation they are. You'll also see which group of build years the MOT figures come from.

  • Built 2013-2016

    Generation
    I01
    Figures from
    cars built 2013-2016

    Counted with this generation only.

  • Built 2017

    Generation
    I01
    Figures from
    cars built 2017-2020

    Counted together with I01 and I01 LCI cars built in the same years.

  • Built 2018-2020

    Generation
    I01 LCI
    Figures from
    cars built 2017-2020

    Counted together with I01 and I01 LCI cars built in the same years.

  • Built 2021-2022

    Generation
    I01 LCI
    Figures from
    cars built 2021 onwards

    Counted with every car built from 2021.

“Figures from” is the group of build years behind each card's MOT figures. Years where one generation gave way to the next can sit in a wider group until there's enough history to split them.

How each group of build years performs

Each card shows MOT results for one group of BMW i3 build years. “Age” means the car's age on the day of its MOT, not its build year. “25+” groups every test on cars aged 25 or older.

BMW i3 2021 onwards
Built

2021 onwards

I01 LCI only

All I01 LCI cars built from 2021. Newer cars join this group until there is enough MOT history to split it.

Fail rate at 4 years old (latest age)

7.9%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 8 (12.5%)

Ages with data

3 to 4 years old

MOT tests counted

6,260

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age
AgeFail rateMOT tests
3 years
3,77010.1%
4 years
2,4907.9%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 3 years old.

BMW i3 2017-2020
Built

2017-2020

A mix of I01 and I01 LCI

These build years include both I01 and I01 LCI cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 7 years old

12.0%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 6 (17.1%)

Ages with data

4 to 8 years old

MOT tests counted

16,136

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age
AgeFail rateMOT tests
4 years
1,9219.8%
5 years
4,56910.3%
6 years
4,20510.3%
7 years
3,24912.0%
8 years
2,19214.1%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 8 years old.

BMW i3 2013-2016
Built

2013-2016

I01 only

These build years are all I01, so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 11 years old (latest age)

18.3%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 4 (24.9%)

Ages with data

8 to 11 years old

MOT tests counted

6,279

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age
AgeFail rateMOT tests
8 years
1,11914.4%
9 years
2,40216.7%
10 years
1,88714.8%
11 years
87118.3%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 11 years old.