BMW i3 revealed: electric 3 Series coming to Oz in 2027
Whopping 900km range for BMW 3 Series EV but German luxury brand will not force buyers into EVs with petrol versions to come
The News
The first fully electric BMW 3 Series has finally been revealed.
Dubbed the BMW i3, which was revealed in Munich today, the mid-size luxury sedan enters production in August 2026 ahead of Australian deliveries kicking off in early 2027.
The i3 is the second model after the iX3 to be derived from BMW’s high-tech $17 billion Neue Klasse electric vehicle architecture. Combustion versions of the new 3 Series have not yet been unveiled, while stove-hot BMW M3 models remain under camouflage too.
The Key Details
First electric 3 Series sedan reboots badge worn by trailblazing i3 city car
The i3 will initially arrive in 50 xDrive form, producing 345kW/645Nm
Platform tweaks and new battery tech stretch estimated driving range to 900km
BMW says the i3’s 400kW DC charging capability adds 400km of range in just 10 minutes
The BMW i3 has been confirmed for an Australian launch in early 2027
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The Finer Details
The BMW i3 debuts the eighth-generation 3 Series family from the German luxury car maker.
BMW has chosen to reveal only this electric version at first, with combustion versions, as well as new M3 models, widely expected to be shown soon.
Utilising BMW’s Neue Klasse platform, the i3 follows the new iX3 mid-size SUV in sitting atop a new EV architecture that ushers in a wide range of hardware and software upgrades.
BMW says the new platform, revamped e-motors and the sixth-generation battery (built in Hungary) combine to deliver substantial advances in range, charging, efficiency and computing power.
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The i3 will launch exclusively in 50 xDrive trim. This AWD model uses a new electrically excited synchronous motor on the rear axle, and a smaller asynchronous front motor that contributes torque when needed.
Structurally integrated into the i3’s floor is a new, flat battery pack that is expected to be the same 108kW lithium-ion (NMC) unit used by the iX3, though BMW has not confirmed specifics.
The battery integrates round lithium-ion cells developed by BMW. The cells are inserted directly into the battery to max out the density, and as a result they are not modular.
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A move to an 800-volt electrical architecture has resulted in a big upgrade in DC charging speed, at least in ideal conditions.
Find a rare 400kW charger and a 10-80% charge should be completed in about 18 minutes.
BMW has equipped the i3 with bi-directional V2L and V2G charging, allowing the car to power external devices (at up to 3.7kW) or feed energy back into the owner’s home or the grid to earn money while parked.
Visually, the i3 adopts the design language ushered in by the iX3.
BMW i3
BMW iX3
It’s longer than the existing 3 Series (at 4760mm in length, it is 47mm longer), but the proportions are familiar with short overhangs and a compact boot lid.
The new 2027 ‘NA0’ i3 differs from the ‘G20’ 3 Series, with a considerable simplification of various styling cues in a move that BMW calls ‘maximum reduction’.
BMW has again reinvented its front-end styling, away from the exaggerated grille of the 4 Series and M3. Instead, the i3 debuts twin backlit grilles that incorporate quad headlight strakes.
Inside, the cabin shares its basic design with the iX3, based around the new Panoramic iDrive system that projects information across a pillar-to-pillar panel integrated into the lower section of the windscreen.
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A projected head-up display is optional while a 17.9-inch ‘Free Cut’ touchscreen is standard, running the Android-based BMW Operating System X, plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The new i3 picks up the iX3’s groundbreaking electronics architecture that is based around four high-performance onboard computers BMW calls ‘superbrains’.
These four zones are responsible for the level two autonomous driving, infotainment, comfort functions and driving dynamics. BMW says the smarter computers means fewer unnecessary safety system interventions.
When the combustion versions of the new 3 Series arrive, they will not use the electric i3’s Neue Klasse platform.
Instead, they will sit atop an updated version of Cluster Architecture from the outgoing car.
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The Road Ahead
The new i3 shows BMW’s approach to the burgeoning premium mid-size electric segment.
Key rivals Mercedes-Benz and Audi are preparing their own entrants, while Chinese brands like Zeekr and Denza will also bring ‘non-SUV’ premium EVs to Australia.
BMW will spend the next four months polishing the i3 before putting the sedan into production in August.
