In a rather curious turn of events, the BMW i3 and i8 continue to make an appearance on the company’s sales reports even though production for both models has been halted for years.
The i3 ceased production two years ago, while the i8 met its end four years ago.
New Old Stock Sales
According to BMW’s second-quarter financial report, a total of 24 units of the now-defunct electric city hatchback and hybrid sports car have been sold this year.
These are brand-new cars, not used or pre-owned. It’s a phenomenon sometimes seen with unconventional or niche vehicles, where dealers might have a few “New Old Stock” vehicles still sitting in their showrooms.
Mysterious i8 Sales
BMW bundles the sales figures for the i3 and i8 together, leaving the exact sales breakdown a mystery. However, we do know that only one i3 was sold in the U.S. in the first quarter, and no i3s or i8s were sold in the U.S. in the second quarter. So, all the remaining i8 sales happened somewhere else in the world.
Sales Drop Compared to Last Year
Globally, sales of these two models have dropped dramatically, down 95.8% compared to the first half of last year when BMW surprisingly sold 575 units. With only six units sold in the second quarter of this year, it seems 2024 could be the final year these discontinued models appear on sales reports.
The i3 and i8 Legacy
The most likely explanation for these “zombie” sales is that dealers are finally clearing out the last of their New Old Stock, probably with attractive discounts.
The BMW i3, with a starting price of around $45,000 when new, was BMW’s first mass-produced all-electric car and sold over 250,000 units worldwide during its nine-year run.
The i8, on the other hand, was more of a niche, collector’s item, with less than 21,000 units ever made. Its hybrid powertrain, consisting of a 1.5-liter gas engine and an electric motor, delivered 369 horsepower, which perhaps wasn’t enough to justify its supercar looks and $136,000 starting price. Consequently, fewer than 7,000 i8s, including both coupe and roadster versions, were ever sold in the United States.