The BMW 3 Series family continues to be the foundation of the Bavarian automaker’s fortunes. In some markets, “three rubles” account for up to 35% of brand sales.
BMW Why the electric version was presented first is quite understandable: European leaders continue to promote an environmental agenda in which the internal combustion engine is recognized as a relic of the past.
BMW In terms of its dimensions, the new battery is not much different from the current generation of three-ruble fuel: length – 4760 (4713), width – 1865 (1827), and height – 1480 mm (1445).
BMW But the wheelbase size is 2897 versus 2851 mm, so the electric car should be more spacious inside. than the petrol and diesel representatives of the 3 Series.
BMW The first to be presented is the twin-engine version 50 xDrive. The total power of the all-wheel drive power plant is 469 hp, and the maximum torque is 645 Nm.
BMW The range is up to 900 km on a realistic WLTP cycle, while the battery supports DC charging of up to 400 kW, significantly reducing “replenishment” times.
BMW The completely new platform features sixth-generation electrical technology operating at 800 volts. This energy system is 10% lighter, 20% cheaper and 40% more efficient than the previous one.
BMW The next step should be the appearance of other modifications, including more affordable single-engine ones. In addition, a “charged” version under the letter M is also being prepared in Munich.
BMW For the first time, designers have used a fundamentally new design for the brand’s signature “nostrils,” and the strokes of the running lights should resemble classic four-headlight BMWs.
BMW The interior was completely shared by the BMW iX3 crossover, which premiered several months earlier – this is a logical decision to reduce the cost of both cars.
BMW The interior design features the Panoramic iDrive concept. Perhaps its main feature is the Panoramic Vision screen stretched along the front panel under the windshield.
BMW The interior designers came up with a very unique steering wheel – with four spokes, the arrangement of which resembles a cross. Another strange solution is the central touchscreen of the media system with beveled corners.
BMW Never before has a third series been able to offer such space for rear passengers! Unless, of course, you count the elongated sedans for the domestic Chinese market.
BMW Numerous color accents are used in the decoration, so that the interior looks more impressive at night than during the day. Another feature is the massive use of completely synthetic and recycled materials.
BMW In the front part of the body there is a “franc” (as is now commonly called an additional trunk) with a volume of 31 liters. It is assumed that the owner of the electric car will store the branded charger here.
BMW The release does not indicate the exact volume of the main trunk, but the company notes that the liftback body combines the silhouette of a classic sedan and the practicality of a station wagon.
BMW BMW itself calls the BMW i3 50 xDrive liftback “the first modification of a new generation of the entire third series.” All future “three rubles” will be made in this style – even fuel ones.
BMW
At the beginning of the 2020s, Mercedes-Benz presented a separate platform for purely electric models. But soon, after calculating the losses, the plan was declared a failure. Now another German automaker, BMW, is stepping on the rake of its colleagues. In Bavaria, they created a line of Neue Klasse models, for which a completely original battery architecture was designed. The first car from this family was the BMW iX3 crossover, and now the BMW i3 liftback has debuted.