BMW announced it will be releasing the i3 electric car in May of 2014.
The i3 is BMW's first fully electric car to be produced, according to Oregon Live.
There is currently a six-month waiting list due to the car's popularity while BMW has a limited supply, Tree Hugger reported. The company has received 11,000 orders for the new car. 1,200 of the orders are pre-orders made in the U.S.
The i3 was sold in Europe last November and is set to be released to Asia in May, according to Tree Hugger.
Thom Moloughney, New Jersey restaurant owner and experienced driver of electric cars, has been working with BMW staff to help educate customers about the new i3, according to Green Car Reports. Moloughney, who blogs about electric cars, said the questions customers have about electric vehicles are basic, while staff will have to explain greater details about the new car than most customers who enjoy electric cars understand.
"BMW dealers will have an even tougher time than other brands had in my opinion because the i3 isn't just an electric car, it really is a revolutionary vehicle," Moloughney said.
In one of the advertisements for the i3, BMW used recordings from British science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke to promote the new car, Ad Week reported. One of Clarke's auto recordings serves as the voiceover for BMW's 60-second spot "The Future," which was featured during NBC's coverage of the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
"Trying to predict the future is a discouraging and hazardous occupation," Clarke says.
Trudy Hardy, vice president of marketing for BMW in North America, spoke about the chance to advertise the i3 and what the new car offers for future sustainable vehicles.
"It is a rare and exciting opportunity to launch a new brand and for BMW i3, one that requires a world stage," Hardy said. "We look forward to making a bold statement about the future of sustainable mobility."
