This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.

Key takeaways

  • The most efficient car in the Subcompact Cars class for the 2019 model year is the BMW i3 at 113 MPG.
  • EPA estimates this car saves around $6,500 in fuel over five years compared with an average new vehicle of the same model year.
  • Requires premium gasoline, which typically adds about 40 to 60 cents per gallon to the EPA's annual fuel cost estimate.

Fuel economy at a glance

These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.

Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).

Combined MPG 31 MPG
City MPG 30 MPG
Highway MPG 31 MPG
Annual fuel cost $2,250
Tailpipe CO₂ 22 g/mi
Fuel type Premium Gas or Electricity

How the 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender compares

The 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender returns 31 combined MPG. Cars in the Subcompact Cars class for the same model year average 26.1 MPG, which puts this car ahead of the class average by about 19%.

The most efficient car in the Subcompact Cars class for the 2019 model year is the BMW i3 at 113 MPG. The bar chart below puts the BMW i3s with Range Extender alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.

For broader context, the average new car of the 2019 model year (across all classes) returns 26.8 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2019 model year is on its own page.

2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender
31 MPG
Class average, 2019
26.1 MPG
Class best, 2019
113 MPG
Average new car, 2019
26.8 MPG

Annual fuel cost across driving patterns

The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for premium gasoline, which is $4.61/gallon. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.

The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPG and the reference fuel price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. To get a current-prices estimate, take your local gas price and multiply by 483.9 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).

Driving pattern Estimated annual fuel cost
Light driver, 7,500 miles per year $1,125
Average driver, 15,000 miles per year $2,250
Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year $3,750

Year-over-year MPG for the BMW i3s with Range Extender

The EPA has rated the BMW i3s with Range Extender across 3 model years, from 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender through 2021 BMW i3s with Range Extender. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.

Combined MPG has stayed in roughly the same range across the run, hovering close to 31 MPG.

Year Combined MPG Open year page
2021 31 MPG 2021 BMW i3s with Range Extender
2020 31 MPG 2020 BMW i3s with Range Extender
2019 31 MPG this page

Compare against other Subcompact Cars for 2019

If you are cross-shopping the 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Subcompact Cars class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.

The BMW i3 leads this group at 113 MPG, 82 MPG ahead of the 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender.

Specifications

The 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender runs a 0.6-liter 2-cylinder engine paired with a automatic (a1), sending power through rear-wheel drive.

Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.

Vehicle class
Subcompact Cars
Engine
0.6L 2-cylinder
Transmission
Automatic (A1)
Drivetrain
Rear-Wheel Drive
Fuel type
Premium Gas or Electricity
Annual petroleum use
0.9 barrels per year
Start-stop system
Yes

Common questions about the 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender

Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender.

  • Is the 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender fuel efficient?
    Yes. The 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender returns 31 combined MPG, which beats the average car in the Subcompact Cars class for the same model year by about 19%.
  • What MPG does the 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender get?
    The EPA rates the 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender at 31 combined MPG, 30 MPG in city driving, and 31 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is.
  • How much does it cost to fuel a 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender per year?
    The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $2,250 for the 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade.
  • Does the 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender require premium gas?
    Yes. The EPA lists the 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender as requiring premium gasoline. Running it on regular can reduce performance and may affect engine warranties, so it is not a recommended way to save at the pump.
  • Has the BMW i3s with Range Extender become more fuel efficient over time?
    Combined MPG has stayed close to flat across the run. Both the earliest (2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender, 31 MPG) and most recent (2021 BMW i3s with Range Extender, 31 MPG) versions sit in the same range.
  • How much CO₂ does the 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender emit?
    Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 22 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 330 kilograms of CO₂.
  • What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender?
    City driving returns 30 MPG and highway driving returns 31 MPG, a gap of 1 MPG. The two figures are close enough that the car will hold its rated efficiency well across most driving patterns.
  • What engine is in the 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender?
    The 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender has a 0.6-liter 2-cylinder engine (EPA description: PHEV).
  • What transmission and drivetrain does the 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender have?
    The 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender comes with a automatic (a1) transmission and rear-wheel drive.
  • How does the 2019 BMW i3s with Range Extender compare to the best car in its class?
    The most efficient car in the Subcompact Cars class for the 2019 model year is the BMW i3 at 113 combined MPG. The BMW i3s with Range Extender returns 31 MPG, a gap of 82 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look.

Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.