LED Headlights Won't be Standard

Want LED headlights on your i3? It looks like you'll have to pay for them. Close up images of recent i3's caught driving around on public streets confirm there are two different headlights used; one being typical Halogen and the other LED. Combine that with the recent (patent?) drawings posted online by autoevolution.com and it's clear the car will have two headlight options. 

The Halogen headlights that will likely be standard

The more expensive and energy efficient LED headlights that appear to be optional

 I'm not sure what this means for the taillights which look to be blade-lit LED's in all the spy photos I've examined. Perhaps only the LED headlights will be optional and the rest of the lighting will always be LED. I think many would have assumed the i3 would be all LED in all trim levels because of the emphasis BMW has put on efficiency. Using heat pumps, uniquely tall and skinny tires, CFRP and aluminum to reduce weight, etc it would seem like a shame to then have normal halogen headlights lighting the way. If this is the case, I'm sure it's a result of BMW trying to get the base MSRP as low as possible. Will that mean the stylish wheels we've seen recently will be optional also, as well an "EV necessities" like navigation with charging station locator? We don't have long to go now and the "Vorfreude" is certainly building. I'm looking forward to getting all this information finally out in the open so we can really get down to discussing what we like and what we don't. What do you think of the headlight topic? Post your comments below.

Both i3 concept cars(the original 5 door & the more recent coupe') had LED headlights

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BMW i3 Photo's Emerge

It's been a few weeks since any new i3 spy shots have been published, but worldcarfans and carscoop blog have just brought us some recent pictures of a couple i3's with the REx range extender option taken in what appears to be Germany.

In these pictures you can see the lines of the headlights and body panels much clearer than the past spy photos.

 We also now know where the charge port and the fuel filler door will be for certain. Both are on the passenger side with the charge port in the rear and the gas filler door on the front quarter panel.

Even though BMW tried to hide the shape of the taillight, it's clear the concept i3's U-shaped taillight design made it to production.

The headlight lines are clearly defined for the first time.

 

Kinda looks like a Nissan LEAF from this view. Not a comparison I like to make. Hopefully we won't draw that comparison without the crazy camo-stickers all over.

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