New BMW 3 Series debuts with first fully electric i3, up to 912 km WLTP range
BMW has unveiled the new 3 Series, whose first fully electric member is the Neue Klasse-based i3, sold alongside petrol variants and a plug-in hybrid to follow.
- 912 km / 567 miles
- 108.7 kWh
- 400 kW
- 326 kW / 443 hp
What Happened
The new BMW 3 Series spans fully electric, petrol and, from next year, plug-in hybrid drive. The first fully electric 3 Series arrives as the new BMW i3, based on the Neue Klasse, and two fully electric models are available from launch. They are joined by further new 3 Series variants with highly efficient petrol engines and 48V mild hybrid technology, while the new BMW M350 xDrive is the most sporting member of the range with a BMW six-cylinder in-line engine. A plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant will be added to the line-up over the coming year, which BMW says highlights its technology-open approach.
912km / 567 miles
From a 108.7 kWh high-voltage battery; DC charging at up to 400 kW adds enough energy in ten minutes for up to 423 km (263 miles) of driving.
- 345 kW/469 hp, 645 Nm (475 lb-ft), 0-100 km/h in 4.7 s, 108.7 kWh battery, up to 912 km / 567 miles (WLTP)
- 275 kW/374 hp, 82.8 kWh battery, up to 710 km / 441 miles (WLTP)
- One electric motor on the front axle and one on the rear axle; sixth-generation (Gen6) BMW eDrive technology with cylindrical-cell batteries, 800V technology and bidirectional charging
The new 3 Series applies the Neue Klasse design language to the sporting sedan, with a 2.5-box design, a longer wheelbase, short overhangs, a set-back glasshouse and prominently flared wheel arches. Door handles are flush fitting and extend automatically when the car is unlocked, and the BMW kidneys and twin headlights merge into a single unit, while M Yellow Lights adopted from racing car design identify the new BMW M Performance models. The rear has a markedly horizontal light arrangement. Wheels run from 19 to 21 inches on the fully electric i3 and 18 to 20 inches on combustion-engined models, the M Sport and M Sport package Pro are optional, and paint choices include the exclusive M Le Castellet Blue metallic, with a host of BMW Individual finishes to follow over the course of 2027.
Inside, BMW Panoramic iDrive pairs BMW Panoramic Vision with the optional BMW 3D Head-Up Display, a 17.9-inch Central Display angled towards the driver and a newly designed multifunction steering wheel, and customers can choose between four interior designs. BMW Operating System X is based on the Android Open Source Project and is built for continuous updates and new digital services, while the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant adds Amazon Alexa+ AI technology, rolled out for all BMW models with Operating System 9 and X from the second half of 2026 at the latest, starting with the German and US markets. Assistance includes SAE Level 2 driver assistance systems, BMW Symbiotic Drive for intuitive interaction between human behaviour and driver assistance, and the Motorway Assistant for hands-free driving up to 130 km/h (81 mph) in 21 countries, with navigation-guided, partially automated urban driving functions due from 2027.
- Fully electric BMW i3: BMW Group Plant Munich, the group's home plant, where vehicles have been built for more than 100 years and the first BMW 3 Series rolled off the line in 1975
- Combustion-engined BMW 3 Series: BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, the BMW Group's largest European manufacturing facility
- Core components for the fully electric drive system and combustion engines: BMW Group Plant Steyr in Austria
- High-voltage batteries: the new BMW Group Plant Irlbach-Straßkirchen in Bavaria
The first ever BMW 3 Series rolls off the assembly line at BMW Group Plant Munich.
Plant Munich enters a new era with the first fully electric BMW 3 Series, the BMW i3.
Plant Munich switches entirely to production of fully electric Neue Klasse models; the BMW i3 M60 xDrive M Performance model is set for launch, and BMW Individual paint finishes follow over the course of 2027.
Previously from BMW
BMW had already given the new all-electric i3 a public role before this launch: it served as lead vehicle at the 2026 BMW Berlin Marathon, where BMW was title partner for the 15th time and more than 84,000 athletes from 162 nations took part. At that race, Tigst Assefa set a women's course record and Guye Adola won the men's race in a personal best.
- Ethiopian records at the 2026 BMW Berlin Marathon as the new all-electric i3 debuts as lead vehicle
- BMW puts new all-electric i3 in lead role at 2026 Berlin Marathon as title partner for 15th time
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of BMW's official releases.
Why this matters
The 3 Series now comes with a fully electric option for the first time, so buyers can choose between electric, petrol and — from next year — plug-in hybrid versions of the same model. The change also reshapes manufacturing: BMW's Munich home plant, where the 3 Series has been built since 1975, will move entirely to fully electric Neue Klasse models next year, while combustion-engined 3 Series production sits at Dingolfing.
Terms in This Story
- Neue Klasse
- BMW's new-generation vehicle architecture and design language; the new BMW 3 Series models, including the fully electric i3, are based on it.
- WLTP
- The Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure, the standardised test cycle used to measure range, consumption and CO2 emissions; real-world values can differ.
- 48V mild hybrid
- A system that adds a small 48-volt electrical subsystem to a combustion engine to assist it and recover energy; in the BMW M350 xDrive it uses a crankshaft-driven starter generator.
- SAE Level 2
- A level of driving automation in which the car can handle some steering, acceleration and braking, but the driver must stay attentive and ready to take over.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.