It’s no secret that BMW’s i Division hasn’t worked out quite as the Bavarians had planned. BMW was the first mainstream brand with an all-electric sub-division and it had such promise. When the BMW i3 and i8 first debuted, they were revolutionary and, while not perfect, showed such potential for what the brand could do in the future. Since then, BMW’s competitors have surpassed the i Division and sales have been underwhelming to say the least. There are a lot of factors as to why the i Division hasn’t been as successful as BMW had hoped but could the a big reason be its design language?
When the BMW i8 first hit the market, its styling blew everyone away. It looked like nothing anyone had ever seen before, at least on a road car. It looked like something straight out of the future and like a rolling, production-ready concept. Yet, despite its out-of-this-world looks, its sold in smaller numbers than most high-priced exotics not named Bugatti. So while stunning, those looks haven’t actually helped it sell.
As for the BMW i3, its styling hasn’t been met with the same sort of praise. In fact, its styling is actually one of the main reasons many customers shy away from the i3. While, personally, I like the way the i3 looks, many customers find it to be too odd looking and not attractive enough to want to buy.
Yet, in terms of specs and capability, both cars are actually very good. Sure, the BMW i3 lacks range but it’s not useless and the i8 lacks some performance for its price but it’s not slow by any means. Both of them drive fantastically, though, and have great comfort and technology. So, on paper at least, they should sell well.
Now, let’s look at one of BMW’s main competing brands — Audi. In the past two months, Audi has released two electric cars, one very real and one a very production-ready concept that will go on sale in 2019. The former is the Audi e-tron SUV and the latter the Audi e-tron GT.
The e-tron SUV is currently being driven by journalists in Abu Dhabi and one of the main takeaways we’re reading is that it’s remarkably similar, both inside and out, to a normal SUV. In fact, it looks just like a standard Audi SUV and drives like one as well. And that normalcy seems to be drawing praise.
When the Audi e-tron GT debuted at the LA Auto Show, it was almost unanimously loved for the fact that it looked like a sexy sports car of today and not some far-out concept that looked like it would never actually be made.
Hell, even the Tesla Model S looks pretty handsome still and has aged quite well, despite being older than every other car mentioned in this article.
So it seems that customers tend to like electric cars that don’t look like they came from Minority Report. They want cars that look and feel like regular cars, cars they’re used to, while having the sort of Earth-saving technology they crave underneath the skin, working behind the scenes.

Now let’s look at the concept that BMW showed at the LA Auto Show, at the same time as the beloved e-tron GT — the BMW Vision iNEXT. The iNEXT is admittedly a look into the future, a “Vision” car, but it’s so outlandish and wild looking that it’s been getting almost unanimous scorn. Fans are not pleased with the way it looks and continuously mock it. I’m guilty of such mockery myself, fair or not.
So the electric cars that look normal, modern and of this era seem to be the ones that get the most praise. Yet the ones that look like they’ve been plucked from a time machine set to 2110 are the ones that customers seem to dislike. So it would seem that at least one of BMW’s i Division problems could be solved by just making a good looking car, rather than one that was inspired by Philip K. Dick.
Answer: Yes. I’m very brand loyal to BMW and have wanted to go electric, but I cannot stand the way the i3 looks and the way it’s configured/sold.
I said the same in 2015. Then I test drive it, and LOVED it! Had it 3 years now, never before been so happy with a BMW.
I wont to be in LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT, i don’t wont a car that needs to be drive in order to fall in love!
You can say what you want, but in every thing in live the LOOKS counts a lot.
To each his own. My father bought an F Type because it was so beautiful. Sold it a month later, couldn’t live it. One shouldn’t generalize these things, there are too many people for one company to please all.
Absolutely. Put the i3-Tech in a 1-series or a Mini 3-door hatch and it would sell in bigger numbers.
Oh yes… and the i3 is totally overpriced.
Abso-freaking-lutely.
I’m so tired of reading that BMW’s electric vehicles and concepts are « ugly ». Personnally, I was first attracted to BMW because of the i3, which became my first car ever. I dig its looks much more than traditionnal cars, particulary its interior. And I’m part of a few facebook groups of owners who feel exactly the same.
So the idea that those cars are « ugly » seems to be popular on traditionnal BMW fans forums, who are more conservative in their tastes. I think that they should have access to traditionnal looking EVs from BMW too; I just wish we could stop reading that the car I like the most is ugly, every single time its mentionned somewhere. It’s just a matter of taste guys! I feel traditionnal looking cars are boring, but I’m not shouting it to the world every chance I get.
Personnally, I love the iNext and I hope it’s as close to the concept car as possible. But I also hope you guys get your 3 series EV, because I love you.
All’s good, ok?
I agree, the i3 is my first BMW and I’m glad they gave the engineers and i3 design team freedom to think outside of the box. My last two cars were Acuras and although not bad vehicles, both were bland and iterative in styling and performance.
Yes, keep building traditional styled cars for those who find comfort in the familiar and keep making something exciting for those of us who want something more cutting edge.
Years on, both i3 & i8 look like they just drove off the set of a Kubrick movie. BMW visually are different every decade, people seem ignorant of original 328 (which inspired XK120), baroque angels, which led to 507 @ the same time they were doing Isettas! This century they have doubled their model range in new segments while always being recognizably BMW. As always, BMW are smarter than their critics & their competiton.
And you are?
Bored by youl
Cnet-970 is obviously also on BMWs payroll, like everyone that says anything good about BMW, hey John. I mean, no one that disagrees with you can have tastes of their own, right?
I think the critics imprinted like ducklings on the 1st 20th century BMW they saw & now can’t cope with anything else. My 1st was the 2002, which in its era was just as unique & funky as i3 is today. Their new model range is looking to be another leap forward so I’m totally curious to see what they do with their new BEV.
You really need to start using the mirror more often.
I don’t think PKD would design his cars with beaver teeth – there is no intuition to it.
I personally don’t have a problem with futuristic styling, I have a problem with ugly looking cars like Sir Beaver Teeth.
I love the i8, it’s a masterpiece.
They better just building something as the new smartphone/EV revolution will happen very fast. GM and Ford should be very worried.
First of all I am a big fan of BMW car in terms of its style and stunning look and performance irrespective of exterior and interior. But the price of the car is not affordable but still love it.
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First of all I am a big fan of BMW car in terms of its style and stunning look and performance irrespective of exterior and interior. But the price of the car is not affordable but still love it.
Electric car is good concept in automotive industry where it can help in noise reduction and there are lot of advantages and obviously there might be cons like shorter distance in the BMW series but I strongly believe BMW is the ultimate driving machine.
BMW i3 ranked as one of the most drivable and popular electric car. Curious about BMW i8 waiting for it.
Recently i came to know about auctions cars in Japan, one of the gentleman from Autoworld International Limited advice me to visit there website Autoworld Japan for used BMW cars where I can get the best performance and reliable car especially BMW.
They are a Trusted Name in Auto Industry while coming to buying auction cars, construction machinery & automobiles visited by Millions of buyer Every Month!
They have been in the car export business since the year 2000 according to there website and they export vehicles to Worldwide They can provide almost any kind of vehicles that you are looking for, Japanese as well as American and European make. They can provide both right hand and left-hand drive vehicles.
http://autoworldjapan.com/