The New BMW i3 Will Debut On March 18

Not lengthy to go till BMW lastly takes the wraps off the i3 (NA0), however not as you keep in mind it. The quirky hatchback is lengthy gone, and instead, Munich is launching a very completely different car. The primary sedan from the trendy Neue Klasse lineup is lower than two weeks away from its official premiere because the second mannequin within the next-gen EV portfolio.

Primarily a sedan model of the new iX3, the i3 seems in a teaser forward of its March 18 debut. BMW refers back to the huge occasion as a “design premiere,” which doubtless means we’ll have to attend a bit longer for the technical specs. Nonetheless, we’re anxious to see how the 2023 Imaginative and prescient Neue Klasse idea will evolve right into a production-ready automobile folks should purchase later this yr.

The new i3 will likely be assembled in Munich beginning within the second half of 2026 and should initially be out there solely as a 50 xDrive model. That wouldn’t come as a shock, contemplating the second-generation iX3 is at the moment bought strictly on this taste. With the crossover promising 500 miles (805 kilometers) of WLTP vary, its sedan counterpart could go even additional.

Logic tells us the i3 will likely be extra aerodynamic than its crossover sibling, which ought to unlock extra miles of vary. Anticipate the identical battery pack with a web power content material of 108 kWh and assist for 400-kW charging. For the iX3, it takes simply 21 minutes to go from 10% to 80%. In fact, that’s offered you will discover a charger that absolutely exploits the car’s spectacular charging capabilities.

The i3 50 xDrive ought to have an an identical 463 hp and 645 Nm (475 lb-ft) from twin electrical motors. Nevertheless, it could find yourself barely lighter than the equal iX3. For reference, the crossover weighs 2,285 kg (5,037 lbs) in European specification, and not using a driver. Right here’s hoping BMW will even give Touring followers an i3 Touring later this decade for individuals who need one thing extra sensible than a sedan however not an SUV.

The brand new i3 is a giant deal, not only for its technical specs. It’ll have a very new design language and a radical inside, with iDrive X taking middle stage. As we’ve seen within the iX3, the Panoramic Imaginative and prescient pillar-to-pillar projection will likely be customary throughout the vary. It’ll change the normal instrument cluster and lengthen throughout the dashboard to show all kinds of content material, which the consumer can choose from the primary display screen.

For those who’d quite keep on with combustion engines, the following 3 Collection isn’t far behind. The G50 will look largely the identical inside and outside, albeit with an extended entrance part to accommodate engines. Anticipate the M350 and M3 to function inline-sixes, probably for the final time in a 3 Collection. The Dingolfing-built 3er can be arriving this yr, making 2026 an unprecedentedly busy yr for BMW. The following X5 and the 7 Collection facelift are additionally scheduled to interrupt cowl in 2026.