Yesterday, BMW->ke178 was caught testing what appeared to be an electric version of the X1, and today our spy photographers have caught the upcoming i3 out for a testing session.

As you can see, the prototype continues to strip and we now can see the roofline and the lower parts of the front bumper. In these spy shots you can also see the lines of the classic BMW kidney grille and the window line in the rear doors.

Also, when looking from the side, it appears that the future i3 will lack the Hofmeister kink that was introduced back in 1961 and has been on almost every BMW since then.

The car will use a powerful 170-horsepower electric engine that will sprint the car from 0 to 60 mph in under 8 seconds and up to a top speed of 93 mph. Rumors suggest it will be priced at about $55,000 at the current exchange rates.

Competition

Nissan Leaf

Nissan Leaf was unveiled back in 2010 and since it has enjoyed relatively incredible success. The model features a laminated lithium-ion battery pack that is capable of delivering a total of 90 kW and sends the energy to the front-mounted electric drive motor that delivers a total of 107 horsepower and 208 pound-feet of torque. The model delivers a driving range of 80 miles with only a 30-minute charge or 31 miles after being plugged in for only 10 minutes.

In the U.S. market, the model is priced from $28,800.