Iconic ICE sports sedan goes electric: BMW i3 starts production in Germany, full reveal coming soon

February 6, 2026February 5, 2026 John Mahoney 374 Views 0 Comments bmw, BMW i3 in production, i3

Ahead of full-scale production, the final batch of pre-production 2026 BMW i3 sedans has rolled silently off the production line in Munich ahead of its launch in the second half of this year.

Releasing pictures of one of the late-stage prototypes, BMW has confirmed the latest Neue Klasse model will share both its striking design and state-of-the-art technology with the incoming mid-size iX3 SUV and is just one of 40 new or updated BMWs due between now and 2027.

Already previewed by the 2023 Vision Neue Klasse concept, the production version looks set to stay largely true to the show car’s bold styling, including a slimmer interpretation of the brand’s trademark kidney grille.

Built on BMW’s new Neue Klasse architecture, the battery-electric i3 will be sold alongside a combustion-powered 3 Series that will share the electric sedan’s design language but be based on an updated version of the current model’s CLAR platform.

Inside, regardless of powertrain, both cars will feature BMW’s new cabin layout built around the Panoramic iDrive display that stretches across the base of the windscreen, complemented by a central infotainment screen.

BMW has yet to confirm technical specifications for the new i3, but it is expected to share much with the iX3. A likely i3 50 xDrive variant is tipped to use dual motors producing around 345kW and 645Nm of torque, while a large battery of about 108kWh could deliver up to 820km of range on the WLTP cycle.

Thanks to 800-volt electrical architecture, BMW is targeting the ability to add as much as 375km of range in just over 10 minutes, while a 10 to 80 per cent recharge is expected to take around 21 minutes.

Entry-level versions are expected to feature rear-wheel drive with a single electric motor and a smaller battery to deliver a more accessible price point.

Further down the track, BMW is also expected to introduce 3 Series Touring and i3 wagon variants, along with the alreday confirmed high-performance quad-motor electric iM3 producing more than 750kW. A petrol-powered M3 is also expected to continue alongside it.

BMW is expected to reveal more details of the i3 in the coming months ahead of its official launch in the second half of this year.