2019 BMW i3
Electric Plug-in hybrid Compact car
The 2019 BMW i3 is sold in the U.S. as a electric and plug-in hybrid compact car with 4 EPA-rated configurations. Its longest-range version, the i3, is EPA-rated at 153 miles with 113 MPGe combined efficiency. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 13 complaints, most often about electrical system.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Range | kWh/100mi | Charge (240V) | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i3 | Electric | RWD | 125 kW AC Induction | 124 | 102 | 113 MPGe | 153 mi | 29.8 | 5 h | $650 |
| i3s | Electric | RWD | 135 kW AC Induction | 124 | 102 | 113 MPGe | 153 mi | 29.8 | 5 h | $650 |
| i3 with Range Extender | Plug-in hybrid | RWD | 0.6L 2-cyl + 125 kW AC Induction | 30 | 31 | 31 (86 MPGe blended) | 126 mi electric | 32 | 7 h | $2,500 |
| i3s with Range Extender | Plug-in hybrid | RWD | 0.6L 2-cyl + 135 kW AC Induction | 30 | 31 | 31 (86 MPGe blended) | 126 mi electric | 32 | 7 h | $2,500 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
Out of factory warranty soon?
The 2019 BMW i3 is in the years where high-voltage electronics and module repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.
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Recalls (1)
Electrical System
highProblem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019 i3 BEV, i3 REx, and i8 vehicles. A circuit board problem within the Electric Motor Electronics (EME) module may shutdown the supply of high-voltage electrical power.
Risk: A shut down of high-voltage electrical power would result in a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EME module, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
NHTSA investigations
Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds (closed)
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matt
Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005
Owner complaints
13 complaints filed
1 involved a crash, 0 a fire, 0 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2019: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2026: 2
Most-cited components
- Electrical System — 6
- Steering — 4
- Power Train — 3
- Fuel/Propulsion System — 2
- Unknown Or Other — 2
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.
Other i3 model years
2021 i3
0 recalls · 0 complaints
A2020 i3
0 recalls · 0 complaints
D2018 i3
3 recalls · 14 complaints
D2017 i3
3 recalls · 51 complaints
C2016 i3
2 recalls · 33 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 41054, 41055, 41211, 41212). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.