BMW’s is preparing the next generation i3 electric vehicle for next year. EV of the German producer will come with refreshed design and up to 50% more range. Last weekend German Weekly magazine Welt am Sonntag reported that BMW will rework the front and rear of the i3 and equip the car with a new battery to increase its range beyond the current 300 km maximum. However, increase would be below 50 percent.

Of course, BMW’s “current 300 km (186 miles) maximum” is NEDC-rated and the actual range EPA-rated range is 114 miles and with another up to 50% increase for the next generation, we are talking about 170 miles of range.

BMW still not on par with other electric vehicles

It wouldn’t be on par with several electric vehicles with over 200 miles of range expected to be available next year, including the Chevy Bolt EV, Tesla Model 3 and the new Nissan LEAF, which is also due for a refresh around the same time, but it is expected to come with a 60 kWh battery pack for a range greater than 200 miles.

In that context, it should be difficult for the i3 to be competitive even with a front and rear design refresh, which most people would agree is much-needed.

But BMW is not only working on upgrading its only all-electric car, it recently greenlighted new electric vehicles for production, including a SUV X3 and battery-powered Mini, though those are not expected until the end of the decade.

BMW Autonomous Vehicle Plans are to see a common standard for autonomous vehicles across the auto industry so that it could use the same systems and number of sensors.

Earlier this year BMW already teamed up with Intel and Mobileye to create an open platform for autonomous vehicles by 2021. Mobileye also worked with Tesla on the carmaker’s Autopilot system, but the two companies parted ways back in September.