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Used batteries put to work as BMW produces 100,000th i3

25 electrified models to be offered by 2025 as part of electric push


After four years in production, BMW has built the 100,000th i3 at its plant in Leipzig, Germany

The factory, which is also responsible for production of the i8 – and will take on the upcoming i8 Roadster – builds 120 examples of the i3 every day, along with a further 8-10 i8 coupes.

Along with its current range of pure-electric and plug-in-hybrid vehicles, BMW said it will offer 25 electrified vehicles by 2025.

That represents a significant step over its current lineup, but doesn't go quite as far as Volvo, which has promised its entire range will feature some form of electrification by 2020.

The current 530e iPerformance is priced on a par with its petrol equivalent in Australia, in spite of the lack of Federal subsidies or incentives.

To celebrate the production milestone, the company is commissioning a giant battery farm populated with decommissioned batteries from the i3.

The setup features power packs form up to 700 cars to soak up excess power from the grid during off-peak times, and feeds it back in during peak periods, or when production is low.

"We are proud of the 100,000th BMW i3 built by our plant in Leipzig," said Harald Krüger, chairman of the board of management of BMW AG.

"The BMW i3 is the original, a true technological pioneer. With BMW 'i' as our spearhead, we intend to remain the leading premium supplier of electro-mobility going forward. We are now looking ahead to the next member of the BMW i family, the i8 Roadster, which will expand our leading position in the field of electro-mobility. In 2025, we will offer our customers a total of 25 models with electrified drivetrains.”

This isn't the first time BMW has looked to old batteries for energy storage. The company unveiled plans to put old i3 batteries on the wall as part of a solar system, allowing home owners to cut their power bills by supplementing power from the grid with solar energy in peak periods.

Although they might not be cut out for life on the road, used batteries generally still have the capacity to work well in less stressful, stationary applications like the home, where they aren't in a constant state of charging or discharging.

French manufacturer Renault says 'second-life batteries' are a step towards "circular economy implementation" of the technology.

Tesla has also pushed aggressively into home storage with its Powerwall and Solar City systems.

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