The BMW i3 is back, refreshed and more ambitious than ever: the German automaker has finally revealed the full specifications of the new electric sedan, with a range of up to 468 miles (about 753 kilometers), a starting price of $62,850 and an official launch in the first quarter of 2027. The new i3 50 xDrive is based on BMW 's Neue Klasse platform and aspires to reshape the premium electric car market.
When BMW first announced the i3 as a four-door all-electric sedan, many crucial details remained in the dark — battery capacity, range, price. Now, the company is starting to fill in the blanks, and the news is impressive. According to The Verge, the official range estimates exceed even the most optimistic predictions made earlier this year.
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The new BMW i3 comes at a crucial time for the electric car market, where competition between premium manufacturers is intensifying. Mercedes-Benz has already announced a range of 925 kilometers for the EQS 2027. BMW seems to have taken this challenge into account and is responding with a product that offers comparable performance at a significantly lower price.
BMW i3: Engine technology and performance
The BMW i3 50 xDrive features two electric motors that work together to deliver impressive performance. The rear axle is equipped with an Electrically Excited Synchronous Motor (EESM) that delivers 322 horsepower and 321 lb-ft of torque, while the front axle is equipped with an asynchronous motor with 165 horsepower and 188 lb-ft of torque. The total output is 463 horsepower and 476 lb-ft of torque.
The EESM, which is the system’s main motor, uses electricity instead of permanent magnets to power both the outer frame and the inner rotating part. An inverter acts as the “brain” of the system, converting DC from the battery to AC for the motor, regulating the electromagnets and monitoring performance for maximum efficiency. This technology allows BMW to avoid reliance on rare earths used in permanent magnets, while reducing production costs.
The range of 753 km is particularly impressive considering that earlier this year estimates were around 708 km. BMW managed to surpass these predictions thanks to the new generation of batteries and the optimization of the drive system.
See also: The electric Mercedes C-Class offers a range of 762 km
BMW i3: Gen6 battery and smart charging
Despite extensive revelations, BMW is still keeping the exact capacity of the i3. What is confirmed is that the vehicle will feature the "Gen6" high-voltage battery, made with cylindrical lithium-ion measuring 46 mm in diameter and 95 mm in height. The new cylindrical cells offer a 20% increase in energy density compared to the prismatic cells used in the Gen5 batteries.
This improvement in energy density is crucial: it means BMW can store more energy in the same space or maintain the same level of energy with a smaller and lighter battery pack.
The BMW i3 also features bidirectional charging with Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) and Vehicle-to-Home (V2H), allowing the vehicle to power external devices or even the owner’s home. It also features an intelligent charging door that opens automatically when the driver approaches a known charging point, as well as Plug & Charge for automatic charging at 10 different providers without the need for a card or app.
The iDrive system is a radical reinvention of the digital dashboard. Instead of traditional instrument displays, the BMW i3 uses a heads-up display on the windshield. The 17.9-inch central touchscreen is presented as a “free-cut display” and allows the user to drag and drop up to six “widgets” — such as media, weather or navigation — directly onto the windshield display. The steering wheel uses “ shy-tech ” technology, where the buttons only light up when they are available and offer haptic feedback so the driver doesn’t have to look down.
See also: Mercedes-Benz: New EQS with 926 km range and steer-by-wire
Overall, the new BMW i3 represents one of the German company’s most ambitious moves into electric cars. With a range of 753 km , 463 horsepower , advanced Gen6 battery technology and an innovative infotainment system , the i3 50 xDrive aims to become the benchmark in the premium electric sedan segment. The starting price of $62,850 puts it in a competitive position against its rivals, while the official launch is expected in the first quarter of 2027. It remains to be seen whether BMW will be able to maintain these impressive performance figures in real-world driving conditions — but the figures revealed so far are undeniably impressive.
