Several BMW i3s have been discovered abandoned on Korea's Jeju Island.
It is believed that 70 i3s were initially abandoned in a grassy field on the remote resort island after the rental car company that owned them went bankrupt in 2020. According to the Korea Times, the rental company purchased 200 i3s through a monthly installment plan and with government subsidies.
When the company went bankrupt, the i3s were disposed of. They weren't just dumped in a single grass field, it turns out.
When the company went bankrupt, the i3s were disposed of. They weren't just dumped in a single grass field, it turns out.
BMW Korea is said to have received approval to buy the cars in mid-2021, but many of them are apparently still parked and left to rot. This YouTube video takes us on a tour of some of the locations where i3s have been dumped across the island, and while some appear to be in good condition, many are missing parts.
The video begins with dozens of i3s parked in a field near an urban area. Large pieces of bodywork, such as rear hatches, front bumpers, and hoods, are missing on a couple of them. One of them is missing a door, leaving it open to the elements.
Bubbles in the window tint are a common sight in all i3s.
The YouTuber then walks over to a nearby bus station, where he discovers six more i3s, one of which is also missing a door. Later, a separate number of i3s is discovered in a parking lot in the heart of the island.
What the future holds for these electric BMWs remains to be seen. While BMW Korea appears to have received court approval to purchase them, doing so will not be cheap, and transporting them off Jeju Island may also be costly.