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The 2019 BMW i3 electric car will now go an estimated 153 miles on a single charge, the brand announced on Friday.
The added range comes courtesy of a new battery pack with an energy content of 42.2 kilowatt hours, which is up from 33.3 kwh in the 2017 model. The last battery pack made 115 miles of range possible. Even better news: the larger battery will be standard across the entire range, thus we’ll likely see the most affordable i3 REX model also gain the added range.
We should note the 153-mile estimate doesn’t come from the EPA, but the final figure should be pretty close to BMW’s estimate.
SEE ALSO: 2018 BMW i3s Review and First Drive
BMW said it was able to increase range by working with the battery manufacturer to increase the cell amp hours. While the number of cells remains unchanged, (eight modules and 12 storage cells), the amp-hour figure has increased from 94 to 120. The original i3 battery had just 60 amp hours.
Although the range will increase, power won’t. The rear-mounted electric motor will still make 170 horsepower as standard and 181 hp in the sportier i3s BMW introduced last year. In addition to the bigger battery, the 2019 i3 also adds a new exterior color called Jucaro Beige Metallic with Frozen Gray accents and a new interior upholstery theme. The car gains full LED headlights with cornering capability as well.
BMW said pricing and availability will be announced closer to market launches and the larger battery will enter production this November.
A version of this story originally appeared on Hybrid Cars.
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