BMW i3 Delivers Impressive 440-Mile Estimated EPA Range

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The BMW 3 Series sedan has been a staple of the company’s lineup for decades. This week, the i3 — the second Neue Klasse offering from the Munich-based automaker — was announced. The encyclopedia-length press release enthuses in glowing terms about things like tail light signatures and such, but the big news is that the car — according to BMW’s modeling — will likely get an EPA range rating of 440 miles, making it the long distance champ for production EV sedans.

Since the 3 Series has always been about sedans, it is no surprise that the new i3 is a sedan as well, but in a world gone mad for SUVs, BMW describes the new car as a 2.5 box design. A traditional sedan is a three box vehicle — engine up front, passenger compartment in the middle, with a trunk in the rear. The i3 blurs the distinction between the last two components, hence the 2.5 box designation.

Technical Details

The new i3 bears no resemblance to the original i3, with its quirky styling, limited range, and relatively slow charging. This car is a true sedan and is about the same size at the Tesla Model 3. It features new cell-to-pack battery technology that allows the car to be lower for better aerodynamics. (BMW has said in the past it may use shorter cylindrical battery cells in certain vehicles, but no details about the battery in the i3 are available yet.) It has two electric motors — one in front and one in the rear — with a combined output of 463 hp and maximum torque of 476 ft-lb.

Both motors are built using BMW’s sixth-generation eDrive technology, but the front is different from the rear. The rear wheels are powered by an electrically excited synchronous motor (EESM), while the front drive unit consists of an asynchronous motor (ASM), according to Inside EVs.

“The highly efficient sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology, together with the new BMW Panoramic iDrive and Heart of Joy, delivers driving pleasure on a level never experienced before. With BMW Symbiotic Drive, the assisted driving experience is also entering a new era. The BMW i3 also stands for a modern interpretation of the hallmark design features of a BMW Sedan,” BMW says in a press release.

The i3 comes standard with a panoramic glass roof  a digital smartphone key, 17.9-inch Central Display, and full-width Panoramic Vision display that sits at the bottom of the windshield. An optional 3D head-up display completes is also available as is an upgrade M suspension package

All Neue Klasse vehicles use the BMW Operating System X software that includes Amazon Alexa+ AI-infused voice assistant. The i3 has four electrical zones to reduce the amount of wiring and uses eFuses in place of traditional fuses.

Impressive New Interior

The BMW presser goes into great detail about the new headlight and tail light treatments, but frankly, Scarlet, we don’t give a damn about such things. What will be more important to drivers is the view from behind the wheel, which is quite different from what most of us are used to. To begin, the steering wheel has spokes at the top and bottom but none on the sides.

Just to the right of it is the now obligatory center touchscreen but with a twist. Instead of being square, it is slightly trapezoidal and canted toward the driver. The press release waxes eloquent about the interior design.

“The BMW Panoramic Vision and the optional BMW 3D Head-Up Display project driving-relevant information directly into the driver’s line of sight. This eliminates the need for cockpit displays behind the steering wheel, which is now completely redesigned.

“For the first time in a BMW 3 Series, it has a center spoke in the upper section. In addition to distinctive thumb rests for improved ergonomics, it has multi-function buttons for intuitive operation. This follows the hallmark BMW principle of ‘Hands on the Wheel, Eyes on the Road.’ An M Sport steering wheel with a flattened, dynamic design and spokes at the four and eight o’clock positions is optional as an alternative to the sports steering wheel.”

The company says the buttons on the new wheel use Shy Tech, meaning they are only illuminated when the corresponding functions are available. The controls for driving assistance and parking functions are located on the left side, while controls for infotainment functions such as telephone or media player are on the right.

“This enables drivers to control key functions safely and accurately without needing to take their eyes off the road. The keys’ logical arrangement supports intuitive use and contributes significantly to the overall ergonomic design of the system.”

Panoramic Vision

BMW is pretty chuffed about what it calls Panaramic Vision:

“a newly developed type of display in which information is projected onto a specially coated area in the lower part of the windscreen that stretches from A pillar to A pillar. The content shown in this area is always visible and forms the visual basis of the entire display and operating concept. Key driving information is displayed on the left-hand side, clearly structured and in the driver’s line of sight, without restricting their view of the road ahead. The contents shown in the central and right-hand areas of the display can be personalized and are visible to all occupants.”

The optional BMW HD Head-Up Display projects selected content directly into the driver’s line of sight. BMW says it enables especially precise spatial perception when viewing navigation instructions or information from the driver assistance system.

“The contents of the BMW 3D Head-Up Display and the BMW Panoramic Vision are perfectly coordinated and complement each other, for a consistent, clearly structured display experience.”

Pricing details have not yet been provided or even hinted at. The new i3 will be manufactured at the company’s main factory in Munich, which is where the 3 Series cars have been made for the past 50 years. The production of gas-powered 3 Series cars will be moved to the factory in Dingolfing — its largest factory in Europe.

BMW Blog claims production of the i3 will also take place at the factory in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, beginning in 2028. According to reports, the iX3 SUV will be built there starting next year. Production in Germany is scheduled to begin in August, with the first cars being delivered to dealers this fall.

The i3 supports vehicle-to-load, vehicle-to-home, and vehicle-to-grid operation — features that will be highly prized by customers once they come to appreciate all the good things that can happen when the battery in their electric BMW enables more personal energy security than they ever thought possible. Cars destined for North America will be equipped with NACS charging ports.

Although BMW has not released specifics about charging times, the company does say its 800 volt platform can accept up to 400 kW of charging power, which should translate into respectable charging times. Battery preconditioning is activated automatically by the route planning software or can be initiated manually by the driver.

BMW has redesigned, revamped, and re-engineered all its electric car offerings, which are now grouped together under the Neue Klasse banner. In Europe, the iX3, a battery-powered SUV similar to the i3 in many technical respects, is getting rave reviews. Orders have exceeded all expectations, which is wonderful news for those of us still hoping the EV revolution picks up speed. There is every reason to believe the i3 will enjoy similar sales success.

The original BMW i3 was quirky and filled with lots of original thinking, such as how to design a car that combined carbon fiber and aluminum in the same structure. From an engineering point of view, it was a tour de force, but from a sales point of view, it was a disappointment. Its range was too short and its charging speed was too slow to appeal to the masses. It was not a compelling electric car.

For its Neue Klasse vehicles, the company has learned from its past mistakes and created EVs that truly are compelling. If you are in the market for an electric sedan, the BMW i3 may be just what the doctor ordered.