BMW puts new all-electric i3 in lead role at 2026 Berlin Marathon as title partner for 15th time
BMW is title partner of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON for the 15th time, with the new all-electric BMW i3 leading the men's elite field among more than 84,000 athletes from 162 nations.
- More than 84,000 from 162 nations
- Up to 906 kilometres
- 15th
- 60
What Happened
Berlin is hosting the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON this weekend, described by BMW as the largest marathon event in Germany. Well over 80,000 participants from all around the world take part, alongside handbike and wheelchair races and amateur and elite fields, with more than 84,000 athletes from 162 nations entered. BMW is supporting the event as title partner for the 15th time and is helping to run it with all-electric on-course vehicles. The new, all-electric BMW i3 will accompany the men's elite group as lead car in one of its first active appearances.
“We are very much looking forward to the first 'competitive appearance' of the new BMW i3. For five decades, the BMW 3 Series has stood for sporty driving pleasure, unmistakably attractive design and consistent progress. Just like the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, it is an icon.”
Up to 906kilometres
BMW says the i3 could complete all seven World Marathon Majors in a two-and-a-half-year period without needing to recharge; all data is provisional.
- Official Safety Car: BMW iX
- Official Lead Vehicle, Elite Men: new BMW i3
- Official Lead Vehicle, Elite Women: BMW iX3
- Official Lead Vehicle, National Elite Men: BMW i5
- Official Lead Vehicle, National Elite Women: BMW i4
The new BMW i3 is the second model in the Neue Klasse and the first all-electric BMW 3 Series. It combines highly efficient sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology with the new BMW Panoramic iDrive and Heart of Joy, and brings BMW Symbiotic Drive for the assisted driving experience. Its Heart of Joy high-performance computer responds ten times faster than previous systems and, together with three other high-performance computers, forms the centrepiece of the car's new software and electronics architecture. The car is being manufactured at the BMW Group parent plant in Munich, and delivery is scheduled to begin this year.
- A total of 60 course and organisational vehicles are in action
- Alongside the new BMW i3 and the BMW iX3, the all-electric BMW iX, BMW i5, BMW i4, BMW iX2 and BMW iX1 models keep everything running smoothly
- The BMW Group is providing the organisers with 14 BMW motorcycles and two BMW e-scooters
- BMW motorcycles have been manufactured at the BMW Group Plant Berlin since 1969, making the marathon a home event for the two-wheelers
Previously from BMW
BMW's Neue Klasse electric cars are underpinned by the Group's Gen6 high-voltage battery, which took the Global New Energy Vehicle Innovative Technology award at the 2026 World New Energy Vehicle Congress in China. The company has also extended its 3 Series sustainability push across both the fully-electric and combustion-engine versions of the model, using its Bavarian plant cluster to cut transport distances and CO2e.
- BMW Group wins technology award at China's WNEVC for its Gen6 high-voltage battery
- BMW extends 3 Series sustainability push across electric and combustion variants via Bavarian plant cluster
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of BMW's official releases.
Why this matters
The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON is the largest marathon event in Germany and draws more than 84,000 athletes from 162 nations, so placing the new all-electric BMW i3 in front of the elite men's field gives one of its first public outings a very large audience. The i3 is the first all-electric BMW 3 Series, built in Munich with deliveries due to begin this year, which makes the race an early showcase for buyers waiting on the model.
Terms in This Story
- Title partner
- The main sponsor of an event, whose name is attached to it.
- Lead vehicle
- The car that drives ahead of the competitors on the course, running at the front of the field.
- Neue Klasse
- German for "New Class"; a name BMW uses for its next-generation family of vehicles.
- Heart of Joy
- A BMW high-performance computer that shapes the driving experience of the car.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.