"Elder Brother" BMW i3 will be a family minivan

The "older brother" of the BMW i3 electric car will be a family minivan, says the British publication Autocar with reference to its own sources.

Earlier, the media appeared that the i5 will be a competitor to be more than the Tesla Model S. Autocar business sedan, however, it claims that the closest electric project will be a family car, similar to stretching I3. An electric car is 4 meters long, according to the plan of engineers, you can add about 100 mm place in the legs of the rear passengers, lengthen the rear axle over 150 mm and expand the trunk - and everything is ready. Perhaps in connection with increased loading, a different motor installation will be required, but alterations will not affect its electrical part. It simply needs another ICE, which is called Range Extender in BMW.

In favor of such a version, Autocar claims, the very structure of the body made of plastic and carbon is also says - it is easy to stretch it, and with this option the only detail that requires development from scratch is the rear door.

Presumably, the model will be represented no earlier than mid -2015.