Next Year's BMW i3 Looks Cool As Ice In New Spy Shots

The winter testing season has begun, and several automakers have made the trek to northern Sweden to start evaluating their upcoming cars in some of the coldest weather on the planet, ensuring they're reliable in all conditions. One of those automakers is BMW, with its all-new, all-electric i3 sedan. Unlike the last model to wear that badge, which was a carbon fiber-infused supermini effectively used as a test bed for EV technology, this i3, like the iX3 that has already made waves, is BMW's proof of concept for the 800-volt, 500-mile Neue Klasse EV architecture, and it's expected to be as good as the benchmark in this vehicle size class, the 3 Series. And as these new spy shots show, it'll be a handsome thing.

Production Headlights Show Up, but BMW is Still Hiding Bodywork

BMW was long known for double rings in its headlights, but as other automakers have adopted similar daytime running light motifs (ahem, Alfa Romeo Giulia), Munich has gone for the 'snake eye' slit approach. Housed in an angular cluster inspired by the Vision Neue Klasse concept, the front lights flow seamlessly into horizontal 'kidney grilles,' which are neither kidney-shaped nor grilles on this EV. The space between them draws the eye to the recessed hood, and on this prototype, this is still covered in some cladding. Lower down, the front fascia features a rectangular opening for radiator cooling. The profile of the car again appears to be nearly identical to that of the Vision Neue Klasse concept, and the rear of the glasshouse adopts a more traditional Hofmeister kink than current-generation G-series Bimmers.

Related: BMW Quietly Teases Its Next Electric SUV

Further back, a pert rear end with a subtle lip spoiler on the trunk gives the sedan classic proportions. While the bumper remains a development placeholder, the light shining through the camouflage indicates that the production taillights have been fitted, and it appears that these may not be nearly full-width elements like those on the iX3 or the aforemention concept; in fact, these lights look very similar to those on the F30 3 Series, with an upward kink at each end, but we'll have to wait for more camo to be removed before we can be sure what Munich has in mind.

All-New i3 Arrives Next Year

The i3 is expected to debut sometime next year, with production scheduled in Munich for the second half of 2026. Joining the new electric sedan will be a Touring, or station wagon variant, though it's unlikely that this will be offered in the States, at least not initially. And for those who still aren't ready to adopt silent motoring, a combustion-powered 3 Series with similar styling will also arrive next year. Keep an eye out for more spy shots of the hybridized 3er as BMW's winter testing program progresses.

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