BMW i8, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
2,036 BMW i8s are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 89.8% of initial MOT tests, 17.5 points above the 72.3% UK average.
Looking at a specific i8? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
BMW i8 at the MOT
89.8% of 2,142 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the i8 45th of 575 models. BMW i8s aged 3 to 5 years passed 94.4% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 6 to 10 years that fell to 89.2%.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Pass rate by age at test
BMW i8 tests in 2025.
Where i8s fail
Share of all failure items recorded on BMW i8 tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (27%), registration plates does not conform to the specified requirements (11.3%) and condition has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (6.9%).
The MOT page lists every common i8 MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The i8's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.
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Tyres
Check tread depth across the full width of every tyre (the legal minimum is 1.6mm), and look for cuts, bulges and uneven wear.39.4% of i8 failure items
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Identification of the vehicle
Match the number plates and VIN to the V5C logbook, and check the plates are legal.11.9% of i8 failure items
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Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting.11.9% of i8 failure items
BMW i8s in the UK
2,036 were licensed at the end of June 2026. The number licensed has grown 99% since the end of 2015, although it peaked at 2,292 at the end of 2019.
- Change since 2015
- +99%from 1,022 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2016half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2016 or earlier
- Declared off the road
- 23610% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed BMW i8s since 2014
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2014 | 279 |
| End of 2015 | 1,022 |
| End of 2016 | 1,549 |
| End of 2017 | 1,763 |
| End of 2018 | 2,060 |
| End of 2019 | 2,292 |
| End of 2020 | 2,241 |
| End of 2021 | 2,179 |
| End of 2022 | 2,145 |
| End of 2023 | 2,122 |
| End of 2024 | 2,076 |
| End of 2025 | 2,033 |
| End of June 2026 | 2,036 |
How old they are
Licensed BMW i8s by year of first use.
- Licensed at the end of 2025
- First registered that year
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 | First registered that year |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 62 | 94 |
| 2019 | 227 | 332 |
| 2018 | 328 | 505 |
| 2017 | 208 | 351 |
| 2016 | 416 | 652 |
| 2015 | 606 | 850 |
| 2014 | 183 |
606 i8s first used in 2015 were still licensed at the end of 2025, roughly 71% of the 850 first registered that year.
i8 engine sizes
1.5 litre engines made up 100% of BMW i8 MOT tests in 2025. Plug-in hybrid accounts for 100% of licensed i8s.
BMW i8 recalls
5 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the BMW i8. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every i8 is affected.
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Dec 2020 R/2020/283
Remaining particles in the cells of the high voltage battery can cause a short circuit
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- A possibility of impurities contained in the HV batteries may cause short circuit.
- Remedy
- Testing of battery charge cycles and replacement of the HV cells where necessary.
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Apr 2020 R/2019/289
The electric motor electronics printed circuit board was not manufactured according to the specifications
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The Electric Motor Electronics (EME) printed circuit board was not manufactured according to specifications
- Remedy
- The Electric Motor Electronics (EME) of vehicles affected will be replaced.
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Jan 2017 R/2017/011
Airbags may not deploy
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The igniter for the certain airbag modules may not have been correctly manufactured which may affect air bag deployment in the event of a collision.
- Remedy
- Where necessary replace affected airbag modules.
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Dec 2015 R/2015/244
Steering may not behave as designed
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The engine current sensors have not been calibrated correctly which could lead to an increased recuperation torque during vehicle deceleration. An increased recuperation torque during deceleration could lead to a vehicle oversteer condition in the i3 and vehicle understeer condition in the i8. This could lead to skidding on slippery roads during driving.
- Remedy
- Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and calibrate sensors for measuring the engine current.
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Jan 2015 R/2014/190
Fuel may leak
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- It is possible that lubricant contamination may result in the high current welding of the bolt for the fuel tank earth strap not being to specification. This could over time result in the fuel tank leaking. The driver will become aware of the leak either by the smell or dripping fuel after refuelling.
- Remedy
- Recall all affected vehicles and inspect the fuel tank. If necessary replace the fuel tank.
Other BMW models
The most-tested BMW models in 2025, against the i8's 89.8% MOT pass rate.
BMW i8 FAQs
How many BMW i8s are there in the UK?
2,036 BMW i8s were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 236 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the BMW i8 reliable?
MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is an 89.8% first-time pass rate for the BMW i8 across 2,142 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the BMW i8 had any recalls?
5 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the BMW i8. The most recent was published in December 2020. A recall applies to vehicles built in a set period, so check a specific car on the GOV.UK vehicle recall checker.
What should I check before buying a used BMW i8?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: tyres, identification of the vehicle and lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment. Then check the individual car's own records. Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers are not part of the MOT record, so they take a history check.
How do I check a BMW i8's history?
Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.
Already found an i8?
Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Across the 1,548 vehicles of every make Carpeep has checked since November 2025, 19% had outstanding finance recorded and 13% an insurance write-off. More on the BMW history check. To confirm a car's identity, see the BMW VIN check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), which also gives the engine sizes. Licensed, SORN, fuel and registration figures are from the Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (VEH0120, VEH0124, VEH0160). Recalls are from the DVSA vehicle recalls data, with recalls launched up to October 2026. Government data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability. History-check findings are anonymous counts from reports bought on Carpeep, each vehicle counted once, and are published only where at least 100 vehicles returned an answer.