BMW’s much-discussed line of ‘Neue Klasse’ electric cars kicked off last year with the new iX3, but arguably more important, at least in terms of the company’s heritage, is the i3 sedan. The electric equivalent of the 3 Series, it’ll mark BMW’s leap into the electric age in one of its core segments – the compact executive sedan.
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A full reveal is coming soon, with production kicking off in the second half of the year, but the assembly of pre-production models has just begun right in BMW’s back yard, at its plant in Munich.
An i3, But Not as we Know it
Until now, the i3 name has been mostly associated with the original car, an odd-looking electric runabout launched in 2013 that was arguably too futuristic for its own good. The name was reused in 2022 for a China-only electric version of the current 3 Series that’s much closer to the new car in philosophy, but it’s this new model that’s likely to make the biggest impact.
Previewed by 2023’s Vision Neue Klasse concept, it’s the second production model to sit on BMW’s bespoke Neue Klasse EV platform, following the new iX3. When the camouflage is pulled off later this year, we can expect a toned-down interpretation of the concept’s styling, as well as BMW’s new-generation interior, featuring its dashboard-spanning Panoramic iDrive head-up display.
A New Era for BMW
The 3 Series has been one of the standard-bearers in its class for over 50 years, so the global launch of an electric equivalent is a big deal regardless of the current fluctuating state of the EV market. Sensibly, though, BMW isn’t putting all its eggs in one basket – the i3 isn’t designed to replace the 3 Series, but will go on sale alongside it for the foreseeable future, with at least one more generation of combustion-powered 3 Series in the pipeline.
The same goes for the super-hot M version it’ll spawn next year. Teased for a couple of years now, that car will pack a mighty four-motor powertrain expected to surpass the power figures of anything BMW’s built before, but there’ll be another gas-powered M3 too, likely featuring the same twin-turbo straight-six as the current model but with hybrid assistance.
Pre-production ‘an Important Milestone’
Peter Weber, Head of BMW Plant Munich, says: “Production of pre-series vehicles is an important milestone for our plant. For the first time, we have built a BMW i3 entirely at our plant – using state-of-the-art manufacturing technology and digitally connected processes.”
These pre-series models – which also give us another good look at what to expect from the i3’s styling – will now be used in testing the car’s systems as well as training factory employees. With a full reveal due in a matter of months, it won’t be long before a whole lot more detail on this all-important model starts to arrive.
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