BMW i3
Transmission, start-stop, premium fuel and flex-fuel by model year, 2014–2021
TransmissionThe 2021 BMW i3 is offered with , depending on configuration.
Auto start-stopYes. Every 2021 BMW i3 configuration EPA tested has auto start-stop.
Premium fuelEPA tested the 2021 BMW i3 on premium fuel; your owner's manual or fuel-door label is the authority.
Flex-fuel (E85)No. EPA does not list any 2021 BMW i3 configuration as a flex-fuel vehicle (FFV).
2021 at a glance
4 configurations tested by EPA
EPA lists no manual transmission for any BMW i3 from 2014–2021.
BMW i3 features by model year
Configurations by year
2021 BMW i3
4 configurations
| EPA model name | Engine | Transmission | Drive | Start-stop | EPA test fuel | Flex-fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i3 | Electric | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | n/a | Electricity | No |
| i3 with Range Extender | 0.6L 2-cyl plug-in hybrid | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | Yes | Premium | No |
| i3s | Electric | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | n/a | Electricity | No |
| i3s with Range Extender | 0.6L 2-cyl plug-in hybrid | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | Yes | Premium | No |
2020 BMW i3
4 configurations
| EPA model name | Engine | Transmission | Drive | Start-stop | EPA test fuel | Flex-fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i3 | Electric | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | n/a | Electricity | No |
| i3 with Range Extender | 0.6L 2-cyl plug-in hybrid | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | Yes | Premium | No |
| i3s | Electric | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | n/a | Electricity | No |
| i3s with Range Extender | 0.6L 2-cyl plug-in hybrid | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | Yes | Premium | No |
2019 BMW i3
4 configurations
| EPA model name | Engine | Transmission | Drive | Start-stop | EPA test fuel | Flex-fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i3 | Electric | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | n/a | Electricity | No |
| i3 with Range Extender | 0.6L 2-cyl plug-in hybrid | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | Yes | Premium | No |
| i3s | Electric | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | n/a | Electricity | No |
| i3s with Range Extender | 0.6L 2-cyl plug-in hybrid | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | Yes | Premium | No |
2018 BMW i3
4 configurations
| EPA model name | Engine | Transmission | Drive | Start-stop | EPA test fuel | Flex-fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i3 (94Ah) | Electric | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | n/a | Electricity | No |
| i3 (94Ah) with Range Extender | 0.6L 2-cyl plug-in hybrid | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | Yes | Premium | No |
| i3s (94Ah) | Electric | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | n/a | Electricity | No |
| i3s (94Ah) with Range Extender | 0.6L 2-cyl plug-in hybrid | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | Yes | Premium | No |
2017 BMW i3
3 configurations
| EPA model name | Engine | Transmission | Drive | Start-stop | EPA test fuel | Flex-fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i3 BEV (60 Amp-hour battery) | Electric | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | n/a | Electricity | No |
| i3 BEV (94 Amp-hour battery) | Electric | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | n/a | Electricity | No |
| i3 REX (94 Amp-hour battery) | 0.6L 2-cyl plug-in hybrid | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | Yes | Premium | No |
2016 BMW i3
2 configurations
| EPA model name | Engine | Transmission | Drive | Start-stop | EPA test fuel | Flex-fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i3 BEV | Electric | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | n/a | Electricity | No |
| i3 REX | 0.6L 2-cyl plug-in hybrid | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | Yes | Premium | No |
2015 BMW i3
2 configurations
| EPA model name | Engine | Transmission | Drive | Start-stop | EPA test fuel | Flex-fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i3 BEV | Electric | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | n/a | Electricity | No |
| i3 REX | 0.6L 2-cyl plug-in hybrid | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | Yes | Premium | No |
2014 BMW i3
2 configurations
| EPA model name | Engine | Transmission | Drive | Start-stop | EPA test fuel | Flex-fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i3 BEV | Electric | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | n/a | Electricity | No |
| i3 REX | 0.6L 2-cyl plug-in hybrid | Single-speed (electric drive)A1 | Rear-Wheel | Yes | Premium | No |
Check before you buy or refuel Confirm on the window sticker, owner's manual or with the dealer. Trims and options can differ from the configurations EPA tested.
About premium fuel EPA data shows the fuel a vehicle was tested on. It does not say whether premium is required or only recommended. Your owner's manual or fuel-door label is the authority.
Before using E85 Confirm the vehicle is a flex-fuel vehicle (FFV) in the owner's manual, or look for a yellow gas cap or an "FFV" badge. Not every version of a model is flex-fuel.
Source: U.S. EPA / Department of Energy vehicle data fromFuelEconomy.gov, data as of September 29, 2026.See how we classify vehicles.
More BMW lists
- BMW models without a CVT
- BMW models with a manual transmission
- BMW models with an automated manual transmission
- BMW models with a conventional automatic transmission
- BMW models with auto start-stop
- BMW models without auto start-stop
- BMW models EPA tested on premium fuel
