It’s Official: The New BMW i3 Will Debut On March 18

Not long to go until BMW finally takes the wraps off the i3 (NA0), but not as you remember it. The quirky hatchback is long gone, and in its place, Munich is launching a completely different vehicle. The first sedan from the modern Neue Klasse lineup is less than two weeks away from its official premiere as the second model in the next-gen EV portfolio.

Essentially a sedan version of the new iX3, the i3 appears in a teaser ahead of its March 18 debut. BMW refers to the big event as a “design premiere,” which likely means we’ll have to wait a bit longer for the technical specifications. Nevertheless, we’re anxious to see how the 2023 Vision Neue Klasse concept will evolve into a production-ready car people can buy later this year.

The new i3 will be assembled in Munich starting in the second half of 2026 and may initially be available only as a 50 xDrive version. That wouldn’t come as a surprise, considering the second-generation iX3 is currently sold strictly in this flavor. With the crossover promising 500 miles (805 kilometers) of WLTP range, its sedan counterpart may go even further.

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Logic tells us the i3 will be more aerodynamic than its crossover sibling, which should unlock additional miles of range. Expect the same battery pack with a net energy content of 108 kWh and support for 400-kW charging. For the iX3, it takes just 21 minutes to go from 10% to 80%. Of course, that’s provided you can find a charger that fully exploits the vehicle’s impressive charging capabilities.

The i3 50 xDrive should have an identical 463 hp and 645 Nm (475 lb-ft) from dual electric motors. However, it may end up slightly lighter than the equivalent iX3. For reference, the crossover weighs 2,285 kg (5,037 lbs) in European specification, without a driver. Here’s hoping BMW will also give Touring fans an i3 Touring later this decade for those who want something more practical than a sedan but not an SUV.

The new i3 is a big deal, not just for its technical specifications. It’ll have a completely new design language and a radical interior, with iDrive X taking center stage. As we’ve seen in the iX3, the Panoramic Vision pillar-to-pillar projection will be standard across the range. It’ll replace the traditional instrument cluster and extend across the dashboard to display all sorts of content, which the user can select from the main screen.

If you’d rather stick with combustion engines, the next 3 Series isn’t far behind. The G50 will look largely the same inside and out, albeit with a longer front section to accommodate engines. Expect the M350 and M3 to feature inline-sixes, possibly for the last time in a 3 Series. The Dingolfing-built 3er is also arriving this year, making 2026 an unprecedentedly busy year for BMW. The next X5 and the 7 Series facelift are also scheduled to break cover in 2026.