Williams bags BMW’s first electric car
BMW has selected Williams as sole agent in Greater Manchester and Liverpool to launch, sell and support the BMW i3, its first all electric car.
The Bolton-based group of dealerships will sell and support the BMW i3 from its sites on Upper Brook Street in Manchester and Great Howard Street, Liverpool from November 15.
Daryl Bates at Williams Manchester said: “BMW is the first premium manufacturer to offer purpose-built electric vehicles and support to the UK market. The BMW i3 heralds the dawn of a new era for individual mobility and for the BMW group.
“The BMW i3 is not just a new addition to the BMW brand but also a major milestone for the automotive sector that provides customers with an attractive offer for electromobility and to address environmental challenges facing cities worldwide.”
The car is built from carbon fibre and has a 170 horsepower electric motor that allows the car to accelerate from 0-62 mph in 7.2 seconds while a lithium-ion battery gives it a range of 80 to 100 miles in everyday driving.
It is also available as a hybrid with a 650cc range extender petrol engine that increases the vehicle’s maximum range to about 180 miles on one tank of fuel. Prices start at £25,680. It will take eight to 10 hours to charge on a household plug socket, but three hours with a rapid charging kit.
