BMW i3 sales jump 58% in the US, even with the new 33 kWh option coming

BMW released its July US sales report this week and the German automaker confirmed a significant increase in BMW i3 sales, which is especially surprising considering the upgraded 33 kWh battery pack has been confirmed for the 2016 i3 set to be available in the coming months.

Back in May, BMW officially unveiled the 2017 BMW i3 with a new 33 kWh battery pack (up from 22 kWh) allowing now up to 114 miles of range (up from ~80 miles).

Maybe the announcement brought the focus back to the company’s only all-electric vehicle or spur discounts for the older versions. Either way, something happened to help push the company’s sales for one of its best month ever in the US – 1,479 units sold vs 935 units during the same period last year.

That’s up 58% for the month, but the company will have to keep this up if it wants to grow sales for the year in the US since BMW i3 sales are still down 19.1% year-to-date. If the 33 kWh version gets to dealerships in time, the automaker could potentially erase the current slump.

Though by that point, the Chevy Bolt with twice the range – thanks to its 60 kWh pack – could put a strain on the demand for BMW’s flagship EV.

BMW can always turn its focus back home, where the i3 is now more popular than ever thanks to the new €4,000 discount for electric vehicles. The company is reportedly already seeing an important surge in sales.

The company’s commitment to electric vehicles is still somewhat vague. Its ‘BMW i’ brand was originally carrying the German automaker’s electrification effort, but earlier this year, it announced a change of focus to self-driving technology.