BMW offers its Electric i3 saloon with a smaller battery, but still has a huge range
It’s well established now that the Neue Klasse model comes with 800V architecture enabling super-fast rapid charging, as well as bidirectional charging functionality.
It’s also apparent that the Generation 6 BMW eDrive system (electric drive system) offers considerably longer range than the predecessor generation from the i4, adding more than 150 miles of range over the eDrive40 and enables significantly faster charging. The BMW i3 will be available in two versions from launch, both of which have one electric motor on the front axle and another on the rear axle.
The new BMW i3 50 xDrive has 469 hp and 645 Nm of torque accelerating from 0 to 62 mph in 4.7 seconds. This is delivered via its huge 108.7 kWh high-voltage battery offering long-distance motoring with a maximum range of 567 miles on the WLTP test cycle.
DC ultra-rapid charging that peaks at 400 kW can add 263 miles of driving range in just ten minutes.
However, if all of that range available is overkill, BMW will be offering an entry level version with the i3 40 xDrive. This car produces a very agreeable 374 hp, but it comes with a smaller 82.8 kWh high-voltage battery (similar in size to Tesla’s long range battery), and offers a maximum range 441 miles which is competitive against its rivals from Tesla and Mercedes.
However, for the thrill seekers, a new super-potent BMW i3 M60 xDrive M Performance model will launch in 2027. There’s no details on this model yet.
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About the Author
Graeme Cobb is a lifelong car enthusiast with a passion for writing about cars, EVs, industry updates and more.
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