The BMW i3 is all set for an update which is rumored to be released some time next year in 2017, where it will boast of an all new design as well as improved range -- which would be the bare minimum for any new model for an electric vehicle, we presume. What do you think of electric vehicles that are currently in the market, as well as those which are in the pipeline? Do you think that the world on the whole will make a shift towards electric vehicles, and will be more than ready to ditch their gas guzzlers? Chances are only a small percentage would make the jump, starting with the informed and well off, before trickling down to those who have a passion for the environment and are willing to make radical changes to their everyday lifestyle in order to go along with the agenda.

This is because electric vehicles are not the most affordable options in the market at the moment, with a relatively high entry price point. Not only that, it is also difficult to find countries that are willing to revamp their existing infrastructure in order to accommodate electric vehicles on the road with charging points installed at strategic places throughout the country. There is also this thing about the estimated range of an electric vehicle which might not be suitable for long road trips that span across hundreds of miles or even thousands, if you are not careful with your route planning. A gas-run vehicle need not fret, and is far more flexible in terms of getting around since it is very easy and convenient to stop by any 24 hour gas station to fill ‘er up.

Will a heavily updated BMW i3 that might just debut in 2017 be able to change the way electric vehicles are looked at in the future? Perhaps, and German newspaper Welt am Sonntag has some details on the updated BMW i3. According to Reuters, there are several company sources that have shared information concerning the new BMW i3 with Welt am Sonntag, where it will boast of an improved running range and looks that will surely turn heads.

In order to achieve a more impressive range on the road in the new BMW i3, it seems that the Bavarian automobile manufacturer is going to work by installing an all new high-capacity battery into the electric hatchback. This would enable the BMW i3 to surpass the 300 km (186 miles) mark that the existing model is limited to at the moment. As for the actual details on how far the new BMW i3 will be able to travel, that remains to be seen, but it will not pass the 50% increase mark, that is for sure.

After all, in 2016 alone, we do know that BMW has done their fair bit of work by updated the current i3 to carry an improved battery underneath the hood. This new and improved battery is able to increase the range by 50%, so to see another jump in the same vein next year might be far-fetched. It should also maintain the current price point for the new model, but we will keep our eyes peeled and ears open.