BMW I3 Battery Change Fees Make Owners Surprised, Some Up To IDR 1.1 Billion!

BMW i3 2013. (Doc. BMW Group)

JAKARTA - Who would have thought, behind its tiny and environmentally friendly design, BMW i3 stores hidden costs that could make the owner dumbfounded. The cost of replacing this car battery could reach more than US$30,000 (around Rp. 468 million), some even up to US$ 71,000 (around Rp1.1 billion)!

Reported by Carscoops, February 12, BMW i3 was first launched in 2013, a first step for BMW to enter the electric car market. In the United States (US), this car had sold 45,100 units before it was finally stopped production in 2021.

Although the price is relatively affordable in the used car market, its maintenance costs, especially for batteries, could be a nightmare for its owners. It is known, electric car batteries do have a very high price.

Many i3 owners in the US have complained about the cost of replacement of batteries reaching more than US$30,000 at BMW's official workshop. A Reddit user even showed a bill photo that reached 71,208.27 US dollars.

This figure is much higher than the i3 price when it was only in 2021 which ranged from 45,445 to 52,495 US dollars (around Rp700 million - Rp819 million). Imagine, the cost of changing the battery could exceed the price of the car!

Meanwhile, owners of i3 who live in CARB state (California Air Resources Board) may be able to breathe a sigh of relief. The reason is, i3 is protected by a 10-year extension warranty or 241,401 km.

For owners who do not have a warranty, there are other alternatives to consider. Third-party workshops may be able to offer cheaper costs for battery replacement.