The BMW i3 is a compact electric hatchback built around a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic passenger cell and aluminum chassis, with its electric motor mounted at the rear and driving the rear wheels. Early versions used a 170 hp electric motor, while the i3s increased output to 181 hp, with a small two-cylinder gasoline engine available as a range extender on selected versions.

The i3's construction was unusual for a mass-produced compact car, combining carbon-fiber architecture, rear-wheel drive, a narrow body, rear-hinged rear doors, and extensive use of renewable or recycled materials. Its distinctive exterior and interior design, lightweight construction, and unconventional electric drivetrain made the i3 one of BMW's most experimental production cars of the 2010s.