BMW's Brand New i3 Is An Affordable Electric Car That's Fun To Drive

In a three-continent event today, BMW officially unveiled the all-electric i3.

Shown off in New York, London, and Beijing, the four-seat compact car marks the start of what the German automaker calls a "new era for individual mobility."

The $41,350 price tag (before a $7,500 federal tax credit) puts the i3 in between the Tesla Model S (starts at $69,900) and offerings like the Chevy Spark EV ($26,685).

That could open up the electric car market to drivers who want to drive a high-end car built by a luxury powerhouse, but hesitate to spend $70,000.

That move into a new niche has generated a lot of interest: BMW says it has already received 90,000 requests for test drives.

Wary of the reputation of compact electric cars as glorified go-karts, BMW promises "sheer driving pleasure" in the i3.

Range will max out at around 186 miles, but if the i3 is as fun to drive as BMW says — and there's no reason to doubt this company's ability to build fun cars — it could be a new kind of EV.

Fun, fast, practical, and pretty close to affordable.