BMW has opened order books for its new i3 as it confirms more technical details for its all-electric 3 Series.
The BMW i3 50 XDrive First Edition is on sale now, priced from £57,905, ahead of the full model launch this autumn.
The special launch edition of the Neue Klasse saloon builds on the regular 50 xDrive spec, adding electrically adjustable seats, three-zone automatic climate control, steering wheel heating, a 3D head-up display and a Harman Kardon stereo as standard, along with 22kW AC charging.
From autumn 2026, the regular BMW i3 50 xDrive will go on sale, priced from £53,005. While that is significantly more than the existing hybrid 3 Series, it does undercut the rival Mercedes C-Class, which starts at £57,995.
It also offers significantly more range than the Mercedes and instantly becomes the UK’s longest-range EV. In regular 50 xDrive guise, the BMW i3 will cover up to 567 miles per charge thanks to a huge 108.7kWh battery and the latest sixth-generation eDrive technology.
The BMW i3 uses a two-motor setup to deliver all-wheel-drive and 463bhp/476lb ft. That’s the same arrangement as the iX3 SUV, and enough to propel the four-door saloon from 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds. Peak DC charging of 400kW means the i3 can add 249 miles of range in just 10 minutes.
BMW hasn’t confirmed any other powertrains for the i3 but a single-motor rear-wheel-drive variant is likely. The Bavarian firm already offers the iX3 with this setup, using a rear-mounted 316bhp motor and 82.6kWh battery for just under 400 miles of range.
If BMW does launch a rear-drive i3, it is likely to be priced from around £50,000.
The marque has also confirmed plans for an all-electric M3 based on the new i3. The super saloon, which was previewed at the 026 24 Hours of Le Mans is expected to go on sale in 2027 and use a 1,000bhp four-motor setup for blistering performance.
