How about actual start-to
How about actual start-to-finish sustainability? All current EVs are based off standard car manufacturing design, methods, and materials. They are only "green" once in actual use (assuming solar energy as the recharge source). The i3 is the only car that attempts to be green from start-to-finish through it's use of renewable, recyclable, and sustainable materials from sourced responsibly. It's also the first car to really emphasize efficiency over brute forth methods to increase range and performance (i.e. Tesla). The significance of the i3 isn't that it's an EV, it's that it represents a new approach to efficient vehicle design.
Tesla owners, fanatics, and fanboys often believe Tesla is the only one able to create a high range EV. That is simply not true. Any car manufacturer could have created a 200-300 mi range EV. Tesla brute forced it and shoved as many Panasonic batteries as they could into the car, disregarding price. The difference is the target demographic and thought behind mass EV adoption. Tesla took the chance and targeted those with disposable income that always want the latest and greatest regardless of price. This has worked out for them. All other manufacturers are taking the approach that affordable EVs are the key to mass market adoption, so they must hold back on batteries and design costs. This has also worked as you see lease rates dropping to sub $300/month ranges causing an increase in EV adoption as well. BMW has seem to stricken middle ground.
Just to play devil's advocate: Why would you consider or manufacturer green if they are using half the worlds supply of Lithium ion batteries? Or, if they open up the Gigafactory, predictions estimate they would require more than 100% of the world's supply. You do all realize, lithium is not an infinite source. How environmentally friendly could it be to consume keep packing as much rare earth metals as possible into a single vehicle? That doesn't seem any different than throwing a huge V12 and gas tank into a fast sports car to me. They key is to increase range and performance while reducing used resources. The i3 makes the first attempt at this idea. Smaller battery, about the same range as competitors (discount Tesla), faster, higher output motor, etc. Efficiency is just unmatched. The Model S is the least efficient BEV, actually.