Australian pricing for the BMW i3

[Houdini]

Got the info today on the pricing of the i3 down here in Australia. One word: ridiculous!

Pricing for EV's over here is nuts. Is it the lack of incentives or just the price gouging manufacturers?

I say this because I hear today that the BMW i3's will be priced over here at around $72,000 for the base electric only and around $78,000 for the base range extended. Add a few options and the "standard" one's that will leave the dealerships are supposed to be going out the door for about $84,000. Nuts.

In the USA the base i3 is $41,350 or $44,700 in Aussie dollars. The Rex (range extender version) is $45,200 USD or $48,865 AUD. So we are paying $27,300 markup on the base and $29,135 on the Rex. In the UK you can pickup a base i3 for 25,680 pounds or $45,974 AUD.

@#*% you BMW for gouging us over here by selling your $40K car for $80K. If you can get a Tesla for $20K more why wouldn't you?

 

[BoMW]

That price in the UK, is after the £5000 government subsidy remember.

 

[I33t]

Houdini, where did you get this info, I haven't had any updates yet.

Looking at the UK Pricing, £25,680 + £5,000 govt subsidy = £30,680 = AU$55,000

£30k buys you a 320i at list in the UK: http://www.carpages.co.uk/guide/bmw/bmw-3-series-guide.asp

Sticker price of the 320i in the US is just under US$34k = AU$37k so both the UK and AUS are paying a substantial premium.

320i sedan here starts at $66k on the road ($60k dealer list), so it does look like there is a premium of somewhere around $10k on the i3 on top of the usual premium but it depends on whether your prices are on road or plus on road costs. Late last year when I was talking to the dealer they said they were trying to keep the price around $60k. Looks like they failed. Perhaps the costs of setting up the i division and the low sales have thrown a spanner into the pricing pie.

I'll make up my mind when I have an actual price quote.

 

[Houdini]

Go the info straight from the Melbourne i specialists, the only Vic dealer for them. At $60K they would sell but not at $72K +. This is drive away pricing BTW.

It's so typical of all the EV pricing here. The Volt at $66K sold how many....1? Then they drop the price to $39,990 and I couldn't get there fast enough as it sold in a day. The LEAF originally priced over $50K and they sell hardly any. Price it at $39,990 and they start to sell.

I can't see a lot of the reservation holders buying them when they have come in a full $10,000 above what we were thinking. Plus al the other bits get marker up: sunroof $2000+ gst, heated seats $510+, that sort of thing. Anyway I'll have the full list this weekend so can share prices if anyone is interested.

I can buy a LEAF now and wait 3 years to buy a second hand Tesla S.

 

[Houdini]

Just an update:
Cost Options are looking like (Incl Taxes):

· 20” Wheel Upgrade - $1000.00

· Alarm - $850.00

· Comfort Access - $850.00

· Glass Sunroof - $2920.00

· Sun Protection Glazing - $660.00

· Heated Front Seats - $730.00

· DC Rapid Charge - $1000.00

· LED Headlights - $1400.00

· Driving Assistant Plus - $2200.00 -

drive away pricing to look as follows for the standard cars:

Full Electric = $72406.00
Range Ext = $78705.00

 

[BoMW]

My full-ish optioned i3 comes in at about £42k which equates to 75k aus $. Thankfully I can benefit from a £5k grant from the government.

 

[I33t]

Just an update:
Cost Options are looking like (Incl Taxes):

Out of those options, I'd go for Comfort Access, LED's and maybe DAP, so +$4450. Not mentioned are the interior options, the heatpump, the sound system or the 19" wheels.

No sign yet of any plans for compatible DC rapid charge stations around the place. Probably not worth the extra. I was surprised to see an EV charge station at our local supermarket. I don't think it would be a lot of use other than if I were running low on charge on the way home (we live up on top of a nearby hill)

Agree it's looking expensive, you could get two leafs for the price of an optioned i3 - the downside is that the Leafs on sale are the old model apparently from the original shipment. I'll bet any new model that comes to Aus will bring a price hike with it.

 

[Houdini]

Our standard wheels are going to be the 19” Wheels – Turbine style 428. The heat pump isn't there but if the heated seats are going to run $730 then the heat pump aint going to be a cheap option

 

[mephisto]

My full-ish optioned i3 REx comes in at about 82k AUD including government refund with 5,6k AUD, recalculated from Swedish Krona.
i3 BEV starts from 50k AUD after refund. I'll have mine on a company leasing, otherwise it's very expensive to own.

 

[I33t]

Seems the pricing is all over the place depending on country!

Houdini, came across your posts on the Tesla forum. Seems the suggestion is Lodge is the standard interior for Australia? (I'm happy with that, just need some dark floor carpet mats) Looks like the challenge will be to get a car with useful options in under the LCT threshold ($75k) 428 wheels were on my list, I'm not that keen on the 20" 430's.

Pity about the heatpump. Do you know what the metallic paint option price is?

The other poster said: "We optioned loft interior, metallic paint, driver assistance package, LED headlights, comfort access, and sun protection glass.

The Australian i3 does have more features as standard. "

Do you have a list of the standard Aussie spec?

 

[I33t]

Std Spec:
19" wheels
Non-metallic paint
Lodge Interior, no-cost option for Loft
Park Assist with Distance control
LED Headlights
Prof Navigation
DAB Radio
USB/BT, wireless audio
Reversing Camera
A/C
Resistance heating.

Comes in just under LCT including taxes and delivery.

Wikipedia says:

LCT is only payable at the rate of 33% of the value of the GST-exclusive value which exceeds the LCT threshold.

So I imagine there are several options that can be added keeping LCT off the invoice.

BTW, the HeatPump heating is an available option.

 

[Houdini]

Looks like you found the answer to your own question

But for the search engines - yes Lodge is the Australian standard interior. Couple of things I was told that you didn't mention that will come standard also:

· Connected Drive Freedom Package with remote services / concierge Facility and Real Time Traffic Info
· Internet

 

[Harry]

I found this article today regarding the release of the i3 pricing for Australia. The article itself left out the pricing but the source document showed the BEV price as $63,900AUS ($60,066USD). The REX is $69,900AUS (65,706USD).

http://thefootballexaminer.com/technology-22/bmw-i3-electric-vehicle-s-price-announced-945.html

 

[Harry]

A couple more Google alerts with Australian pricing:

http://www.carsguide.com.au/news-and-reviews/car-news/bmw_i3_electric_car_on_sale_in_australia_83100_201404010

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/04/bmw-i3-finally-gets-australian-price-and-release-date/

These have better pricing information.

 

[I33t]

Rather than read the journo's blather on about it, just read it from BMW Australia:

http://bmw.com.au/com/en/newvehicles/i/i3/2013/showroom/driveawayprice.html

Doesn't mention the options though...

 

[Houdini]

Drive away pricing for each:
Electric: $70,448.10
Range extended (Rex): $76,748.10

So much for the $50K to $70K we were promised. Oh well the EV is almost $70K. I don't think they'll sell as well as BMW thinks so you may see a low km demo that sells for under $70K.

 

[Houdini]

BTW I have all the option pricing now which I'll upload when I get some time tonight.

 

[I33t]

Interested to see the options pricing and the dealer delivery charges.

I'm wondering if the DC Charge prep is worthwhile considering there are no charge stations offering it currently...

 

[Houdini]

Some prices for Aussie options:

 

[Houdini]

harman/kardon sound system, 12 speakers, 7-channel digital amplifier, 360 W, with DSP technology : MRLP $1,250

Metallic paintwork: MRLP $1,550