For the 2017 model year, BMW will increase the range on its all-electric i3. The automaker will improve the lithium-ion battery pack to boost range by roughly 50 percent, reports Automotive News.

The current BMW i3 has an electric range of 81 miles, but with the battery pack improvements and other updates that the automaker has yet to disclose, the i3 should achieve a range of 120 miles. That figure gives the i3 a better range than the best-selling electric car, the Nissan Leaf, which now offers up to 107 miles.

Ian Robertson, BMW AG board member for sales and marketing, spoke with Automotive News, saying that the improvements to the lithium-ion battery pack will put it “into a much more usable range.” However, the i3 will still be bettered in mileage by the upcoming Chevrolet Bolt, which is expected to have a range of 200 miles.

The current BMW i3 starts at $43,395, and when equipped with a range extender, that price jumps to $47,245 after a $995 destination charge. When the $7,500 federal tax credit is applied, the cost of the BMW i3 drops quite a bit. Still, its price is undercut by the Bolt, which will come with a starting price of $37,500 before incentives when it goes on sale later this year. The 2016 Nissan Leaf is also more affordable at a base price of $29,860 before tax credits.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription required)

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Source: Motor Trend