The new i3 in front of the newly renovated Brian Jessel BMW. Photos by Benjamin Yong.

If you hang out long enough in East Vancouver near Brentwood Mall, you might be lucky enough to spot one of the new BMW i3 electric vehicles zooming around. That’s because they’re housed at Brian Jessel’s newly renovated flagship store right on the corner of Boundary and Lougheed.

One of seven BMW I Brand locations in Canada that sell both the i3 and the i8 hybrid sports car, there was an official unveiling of the $18 million luxury dealership refresh on Tuesday where media was given a tour and a little seat time in the alternatively-powered hatchback.

There are several new changes at the 66,000 square-foot facility that took place over the last several months while the business stayed open.

“These include an expanded luxury customer lounge and Isetta coffee bar with a 20-foot marble fireplace, a 70-foot water feature wall, luxurious washrooms you’d probably see in a five-star luxury hotel,” says managing partner Jim Murray, standing inside the “M” showroom.

“Original artwork, all featuring paintings from local artists and inspired from BMW colours. All of this was really designed to enhance the Brian Jessel experience and create a warm and friendly atmosphere for our customers.”

Everything but the waterfalls was online during the unveiling. Guests were introduced to a couple of product “geniuses,” Akash and Jorge, who answered any questions people had about BMW products, in particular the new green line up of cars.

While no i8s were on hand except for a replica model in the showroom, there were several i3s available for brief testing. Highlights for the EV include a motor that produces 170 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, a range of approximately 160 kilometres, and an interior made of one-quarter recycled materials.

More pictures from the event: