BMW Tallys Only 816 i3 EV Sales For November - Is Going Green Not Appealing To Real Enthusiasts?

The reasons are clear to car enthusiasts; limited range, high price, awkward styling and for those that read the European car press they would know it had a mediocre NCAP safety rating.

Also, BMW's own lineup has other cars at that price point that are better.

Well, let's start with the looks...

Yet it still out sold the Q3,R8,and TT, combined.

Contrary to the breathless reports here of Audi's amazing sales, the real numbers are pretty dismal so much so that the double-digit percent increases over dismal are still pretty dismal.

Let's be honest, it's not a good looking vehicle from any angle.

The i3 might be great technologically but several things are true. If you can afford BMW prices, you can afford gas. Secondly, the car is simply hideous so much so that the Bangle atrocities are hereby forgiven. BMW should have made the 1 Series the recipient of the EV technology.

You didn't read the whole article (either one) did you?

Autoevolution: "When it came to the i3, things went in a downward spiral, as you already read but the problem wasn’t demand but rather nature’s fury. You see, the carbon fiber used to make the CFRP the EV uses comes from Japan. That part of Asia in which Japan is also located was hit by a terrible typhoon not too long ago, rendering ships in the area unable to sail to the US."

InsideEVs: "BMW i3: As we will talk about in a minute, BMW has some production/delivery issues to contend with of late and that hurt sales a touch. For November, 816 i3s were sold.

Previously in October, BMW set a new personal best, and third consecutive month of sales over 1,000 units, showing previous results were no fluke.

For October, 1,159 i3s were sold.

Going forward, sales may lapse a bit in the United States in December and January as reports of fall-out from super-typhoon Haiyan has crippled BMW’s ability to source carbon fiber raw materials, and the company has temporarily shut-down its furnaces."

Based on your own report:

http://autospies.com/news/BMW-Drops-The-Ball-In-November-With-A-2-3-Dip-In-Sales-Mini-Goes-On-The-Offense-With-A-9-5-Increase-For-Month-83637/

the i3 in November outsold all of these:

1/2 Series - 646
Z4 - 168
6 series - 648
7 series - 704
X4 - 489
X6 - 421
All the Mini variations except the Cooper /S Hardtop and the Countryman

Using your logic, are none of these appealing to "real enthusiasts"?

How about reporting that all BMW core models (3,5,7,X5) are getting a plugin hybrid drivetrain (e-drive) and most already have an ActiveHybrid version?

The i3 could sell better if:
1) rear doors were not a hindrance
2) 5 seater instead of 4 seater
3) price were about $7-10k lower

Going green should not mean going weird. If going green meant a Mini Superlegrera with a cool hybrid drivetrainI would go for it. Even pure electric if they can keep it rwd and get some decent range out of it and keep the weight manageable.

One months doesn't mean anything, why is this news?