BMW is preparing to unveil one of the most important electric vehicles in its modern history. On March 18, the German brand will reveal the new BMW i3 sedan with Neue Klasse architecture.
The new model will be the second member of the Neue Klasse electric car family after the BMW iX3 (Neue Klasse) crossover . This line should usher in a new era of BMW electric cars, where a new design, innovative batteries and high-speed charging will play a key role.
According to preliminary data from the British publication Autocar , the electric sedan will have a range of up to 800 km and the ability to charge with a capacity of up to 400 kW.
New design in the Neue Klasse style
Externally, the new BMW i3 will be significantly different from the current 3 Series G20 generation . Designers have used a new Neue Klasse style language, which combines historical elements of the brand with a minimalist futuristic aesthetic. The front of the car will receive a wide illuminated graphic in the form of “nostrils”, imitating the traditional BMW radiator grille.
It will be combined with a new diagonal light signature on the headlights, which will become a signature element of the brand’s future models. It is expected that the next-generation BMW sedans will use this light panel across the entire width of the front, while crossovers will get a more compact vertical interpretation, like the BMW iX3 Neue Klasse.
Strategic model for BMW
Although the brand’s best-selling crossover is the BMW X3 , the 3 Series sedan has historically been a key model for BMW. That’s why launching a fully electric version is strategically important. Before that, the company offered the BMW i4 electric liftback , but BMW decided to launch the fully electric 3 Series only when battery technology allowed it to be as close to gasoline-powered as possible.
The new i3 will be a direct competitor to models such as the Tesla Model 3, as well as the upcoming electric Mercedes-Benz C-Class EV. In the future, the electric Audi A4 e-tron will also join this fight.
Power up to 464 hp and a long range
The initial version could be the i3 50 xDrive, which will use a dual-motor all-wheel drive system similar to that installed on the BMW iX3 Neue Klasse. Expected specifications:
- power – 464 hp;
- torque – 640 Nm;
- battery – 108 kWh (nickel-manganese-cobalt);
- Range – up to 800 km.
Thanks to its more streamlined body shape, the sedan can even surpass the iX3 crossover in terms of range. Another important advantage will be the 800-volt architecture of the Gen6 platform, which will allow the car to be charged with a power of up to 400 kW.
Interior with new iDrive panoramic system
The interior of the model will receive an all-new Panoramic iDrive multimedia system. It combines a central touch display with a large projection screen along the bottom of the windshield. In addition, the car will use a new computing architecture with centralized system control.
It is based on the “Heart of Joy” software module, which coordinates the operation of the powertrain, braking, recuperation and stabilization systems. According to BMW, up to 98% of the car’s deceleration can be achieved through energy recuperation.
Touring wagon and electric M3
The new i3 lineup won’t be limited to just a sedan. BMW’s chief designer Adrian van Hooydonk confirmed that a Touring wagon version will follow later. An even more ambitious project will be the electric M3, which is being prepared by BMW’s M division.
Such a model is expected to debut around 2028. According to preliminary data, it will receive a four-motor electric system with advanced torque vectoring, which could make it the most powerful M model in BMW history.
BMW’s grand electrification plan
The new BMW i3 (Neue Klasse) is just one part of a broader strategy. By 2027, BMW plans to introduce around 40 new or significantly updated models, including electric vehicles and upgraded combustion engine vehicles. All of them will feature Neue Klasse design elements and a new electronic architecture.
