BMW unveils new generation 3 Series with electric version offering 912 km range

BMW has unveiled the eighth generation of the 3 Series - one of the brand's key models. The new generation moves to Neue Klasse technologies and, for the first time, includes a fully electric version, the BMW i3, alongside petrol cars with a 48-volt mild hybrid system.

The electric BMW i3 will be available at launch in two versions - 40 xDrive and 50 xDrive. Both feature all-wheel drive, two electric motors, a new 800-volt architecture, and sixth-generation BMW eDrive battery cells.

The longest-range version will be the BMW i3 50 xDrive, with a range of 912 km according to the WLTP cycle. Its powertrain produces 469 hp, and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes 4.7 seconds. Maximum DC charging power is 400 kW - under optimal conditions, the car can gain an additional range of about 423 km in ten minutes.

The lower-spec i3 40 xDrive has 374 hp and a range of up to 710 km. Its battery can be charged at up to 300 kW. In 2027, the sportier electric BMW i3 M60 xDrive is expected to join the family.

BMW is not abandoning internal combustion engines, however. The new 3 Series will include petrol models with a 48-volt mild hybrid system. The most powerful among them will be the M350 xDrive with a 3-litre inline six-cylinder engine: the system produces 443 hp, and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes 4.1 seconds. In 2027, the lineup is also planned to be supplemented with a full plug-in hybrid.

All versions share a unified design in the Neue Klasse style, a new digital architecture, and the BMW Panoramic iDrive system with BMW Operating System X. Among the new features are level 2 driver assistance systems. On supported markets, the car will be able to drive on the highway without constant steering input at speeds of up to 130 km/h.

Production of the electric BMW i3 is organized at the company's main plant in Munich. Petrol versions of the new 3 Series will be produced in Dingolfing. BMW notes that by 2027, the Munich plant is expected to fully switch to production of Neue Klasse electric vehicles.

Ordering for the new 3 Series began in several European countries on September 30. For example, in Poland, the BMW i3 40 xDrive starts at 262,500 zlotys, the i3 50 xDrive from 290,000 zlotys. The petrol BMW 318 starts from 205,000 zlotys, the BMW 320 from 225,000, and the M350 xDrive from 350,000 zlotys.

Based on materials from: BMW Group, BMW Group Poland