Meet the New BMW i3, an Electric 3 Series Sedan With 440 Miles of Estimated Range
Competes with: Audi A6 e-Tron, Hyundai Ioniq 6 N, Lucid Air, Tesla Model 3
Power: 463 horsepower from dual electric motors; all-wheel drive
Range: Up to 440 miles (manufacturer estimate)
Release date: Fall 2026
What Car Shoppers Need to Know
- The new BMW i3 is an all-electric version of the brand’s trademark 3 Series compact sports sedan.
- The i3 follows the BMW iX3 compact SUV as the second model with the automaker’s next generation of electric vehicle technology.
- On-the-road DC fast-charging speeds are improved over current BMW EV products.
Following on the heels of the 2027 iX3 compact SUV that was revealed in fall 2025, the all-new BMW i3 is an electric compact sedan that takes BMW’s modern design and EV technology and marries it with the proportions and general spirit of the brand’s benchmark 3 Series sports sedan.
Related: 2027 BMW iX3: First of Brand’s New Generation of Vehicles Revealed With 400-Mile Range
You might recall the model-year 2014-21 BMW i3 as a small, quirky urban commuter, which almost seems quaint now — very much an “EV 1.0” vehicle. Even though BMW has released only preliminary details so far, it’s clear that the new i3 is more than just a new-generation 3 Series with an electric powertrain. It’s an ambitious attempt to fuse the brand’s “Ultimate Driving Machine” ethos with a software-enhanced architecture that allows the driver to customize both the computer-aided driving experience and the infotainment interface.
Neue Klasse Design
BMW’s Neue Klasse styling motif debuted in production form on the iX3, but it’s well suited to the 3-Series-inspired shape of the i3. BMW hasn’t listed the i3’s dimensions yet, but the car’s long wheelbase, short front and rear overhangs, flared fenders and distinctive roofline are in keeping with traditional 3 Series long-hood/short-deck proportions.
An available Iconic Glow exterior package enhances the front-end lighting and includes three lighting-animation themes on vehicle startup and shutdown. Flush-mounted door handles extend automatically when the vehicle’s key is present, and the door latches themselves are electrically operated.
Power, Range and Charging Details
The i3 is slated to launch in a single trim level: the 50 xDrive with all-wheel drive. Other trims are certain to follow. The i3’s powertrain uses two electric motors (one on the front axle, one on the rear) for a combined output of 463 horsepower and 476 pounds-feet of torque. BMW estimates a driving range of up to 440 miles based on its internal testing according to the EPA’s test protocols.
The i3 uses BMW’s sixth-generation eDrive battery technology with 800-volt architecture that enables 400-kilowatt charging (the current BMW i4 Gran Coupe EV maxes out at 205 kW). BMW hasn’t listed a battery size or projected charging times for the i3 but notes that its charging speeds are 30% faster. A Tesla-style North American Charging Standard charging port is standard, as is a CCS adapter, enabling charging at Supercharger stations and other charging networks. The i3 will also be capable of bidirectional vehicle-to-load, vehicle-to-home (in conjunction with the BMW Wallbox Professional home-charging system) and vehicle-to-grid charging functions.
Interior Technology
BMW is aiming to enhance the driver-vehicle connection via a number of high-tech systems, which we’re curious to test because they’re rather tricky to understand on paper. The i3 has four “superbrain” computers that control the vehicle’s access and comfort functions, infotainment system, automated driving and driving dynamics. The “Heart of Joy” driving-dynamics computer controls drive, braking, some steering functions and recuperation; BMW says the computer reduces the number of necessary control interventions, presumably to provide a more seamless (yet secure) driving experience. The Heart of Joy computer works in conjunction with a Symbiotic Drive feature that allows the driver to apply steering, accelerator and brake inputs without disengaging the optional Level 2+ driver assistance systems.
BMW claims the i3’s Soft-Stop braking system decelerates the vehicle with no jerkiness or braking noise and that the regenerative brakes take care of almost all braking in everyday driving. The physical brakes are used only in emergency braking or sporty driving situations.
Interior Design
The i3’s interior looks to mirror the layout of the iX3, and Cars.com West Coast Bureau Chief Conner Golden nabbed some quality time with a static-display iX3 earlier this year.
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The i3 replaces a traditional instrument panel with a BMW Panoramic Vision display that uses a coated area in the bottom part of the windshield that stretches from A-pillar to A-pillar. The readouts of this full-width display can be customized by dragging and dropping various widgets on the new-generation 17.9-inch infotainment touchscreen. A 3D head-up display system is also available.
BMW says the i3’s Operating System X software is highly updatable and upgradeable via over-the-air updates. The control interfaces and cabin environment are customizable via My Modes for lighting, sound, display layouts and drive modes. BMW’s Digital Key Plus system enables access to the vehicle via smartphone or smartwatch, as well as remote-access functions and customizable driver profiles.
The BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant is a natural-language, voice-activated feature that uses Amazon’s Alexa+ artificial intelligence technology. BMW says the system uses Large Language Model generative AI technology for natural-language interactions and can be paired with an Amazon account and access cloud-based services, as well as external knowledge bases.
Pricing and Release Date
BMW says production of the i3 will begin in August 2026 at the BMW Group plant in Munich, for deliveries starting this fall, but the company hasn’t released any pricing information or officially committed to a model year yet (the iX3 is launching as a 2027 model year, so the i3 could follow suit or debut as a 2028). Based on the pricing of current comparable 3 Series models and the all-electric i4 Gran Coupe, I’d wager the i3 will have a starting price of around $60,000.
The i3 and iX3 are kicking off a momentous new era for BMW. I’m especially curious to see how all the new high-tech hardware and unconventional design choices will affect the i3’s driving experience, since drivers expect a higher level of engagement and athleticism from a sports sedan than a compact SUV.
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