The pricing and specifications for the refreshed 2018 BMW i3 range have been revealed with the electric vehicle set to arrive Down Under in January.

PRICING AND SPECIFICATIONS for the BMW i3 range has been revealed ahead of its on-sale in Australia in January. Prices start from $68,700+ORC for the pure electric i3 and $69,900+ORC for the i3s, while the petrol-electric i3 Range Extender kicks off from $74,700+ORC with the i3s Range Extender available from $75,900+ORC.

“The BMW i3 range has enjoyed refreshed interest since the upgraded 94Ah battery arrived in 2016, removing range anxiety,” said BMW Group Australia CEO, Marc Werner.

“Now the ground-breaking premium electric i3 gains new styling and technological updates, as well as the exciting i3s sports model for the first time.”

There have been some minor styling tweaks to the interior and exterior of the i3 and i3s variants. The refreshed i3 carries over the old car’s 125kW electric motor and a 94Ah battery which offers up to 200 kilometres in everyday use. The i3s variant gets a ‘sportier’ version of the i3’s electric motor with an “updated drive system that includes modified motor control and specific taper roller bearings to further optimise power delivery and the performance curve at higher rpm”.

This adds up to an equivalent output of 135kW and 270Nm (up from 250Nm), a higher top speed (160km/h instead of 150km/h), and a 0-100km/h time of just 6.9sec (compared to 7.3sec for the LCI). Driving range is the same as the i3.

A 28kW two-cylinder petrol engine (range extender) is available as an option for both the i3 LCI and the i3s, increasing everyday range by up to 130 kilometres.

In addition to more oomph, the i3s runs sports suspension which includes a 10mm drop in ride height, with specially designed springs, dampers, and anti-roll bars.

The i3s also features SPORT mode, which drivers can select with the Driving Experience Control switch. SPORT mode tweaks the throttle and steering response.

Both variants come standard with i Drive 6 which includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity as well as BMW’s Professional navigation system as standard – the touchscreen measures 10.25 inches wide.

If you’re worried about charging, don’t be. The i3 is standard with Type 2 DC charging as well as the ability to charge faster via three-phase AC power.