BMW has put a UK price on the new 3 Series, with its electric i3 version starting at £47,925 and the first deliveries due in the next couple of months. That entry price buys the i3 40 xDrive, combining four-wheel drive with a maximum claimed range of 441 miles.
The longer-range i3 50 xDrive starts at £53,425, a £5,500 increase that brings a larger battery, more power and faster charging. Its maximum claimed range rises to that 566 miles figure, while BMW says a ten-minute stop at a suitable rapid charger can add up to 263 miles of range.
Both i3 models belong to the eighth-generation 3 Series family with petrol versions also available. In total the 3 Series has clocked up more than 18 million sales since 1975.
The i3 follows the iX3 as the second model in BMW’s Neue Klasse electric range, bringing its new batteries, charging technology and dashboard layout to a four-door saloon. Those starting prices cover the standard i3, with M Sport and M Sport Pro trims also available on both launch versions. Standard equipment includes 19-inch alloy wheels, heated and electrically adjustable front seats, keyless access, a reversing camera and a wireless phone-charging tray. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included, too.
M Sport adds different 19-inch wheels, blue brake calipers and its own bumpers and side skirts. Inside, there’s a sports steering wheel, M Sport upholstery and trim, plus ambient lighting that shines through the dashboard. An M logo is also projected onto the ground as part of the welcome lighting.
M Sport Pro brings ten-way electrically adjustable sports seats, an M steering wheel and seatbelts, black mirror caps and sun-protection glass. The brake calipers change from blue to red, and the grille lights up courtesy of BMW’s Iconic Glow system already seen on other models.
The two launch versions have different batteries and power outputs, but both use one motor at the front and another at the rear. The rear motor does the main job of driving the car, with the front joining in when four-wheel drive is needed.
In the i3 40 xDrive, the motors produce a combined 369bhp, taking the car from 0–62mph in 5.4 seconds. Its 82.8kWh battery provides that 441-mile maximum claimed range, while the i3 50 xDrive pairs a 108.7kWh battery with 463bhp. That cuts the 0–62mph time to 4.7 seconds, with both models having a top speed of 124mph.
Charging speeds differ, too. The 40 xDrive can accept up to 300kW, which BMW says is enough to add up to 209 miles of range in ten minutes. The 50 xDrive raises that maximum to 400kW, enabling its claimed 263-mile top-up over the same time. Those figures require a charger capable of supplying the car’s maximum power, as well as suitable battery conditions.
Both cars use an 800-volt electrical system and a new generation of batteries with cylindrical cells. BMW says the cells hold 20 per cent more energy in the same space than its previous design, while using the battery casing as part of the car’s structure helps to save weight.
Away from rapid chargers, both versions accept 11kW AC charging as standard, with 22kW available as an option. They also support bidirectional charging, allowing electricity to flow out of the battery as well as into it, although powering a home or supplying the grid requires compatible equipment and services.
There’s help with planning charging stops through the navigation, which can show expected costs, charger availability and nearby toilets, shops and places to eat. You can set the minimum charge you’d like remaining when you arrive, and the car warms or cools the battery before a charging stop to prepare it for plugging in.
Even the charging flap can open itself when the car recognises that you’re about to plug in. At compatible Plug & Charge stations, the car identifies itself and passes across the account details, saving you from digging out a card or opening an app.
From the outside, the new 3 Series brings the familiar kidney grille and twin headlights together in one wide design. The door handles sit flush with the body until the car is unlocked, while the rear lights stretch into the rear wings. Wheel sizes run from the standard 19 inches up to optional 21-inch designs.
The i3 is slightly bigger in every direction than the outgoing 3 Series saloon, measuring 4,760mm long, 1,865mm wide and 1,480mm tall – increases of 47mm, 38mm and 32mm respectively. There’s also an extra 46mm between the front and rear wheels, taking the wheelbase to 2,897mm. There’s a 420-litre boot and another 31 litres under the bonnet, giving the charging cable somewhere to live without getting tangled up with the shopping. Rear seatbacks fold in a 40:20:40 split for longer loads.
Inside, the instruments have moved as they did in the iX3. BMW’s Panoramic Vision display projects information across the bottom of the windscreen, rather than using a conventional screen behind the steering wheel. Driving information appears in front of the driver, while the central and passenger-side areas can be personalised.
A 17.9-inch touchscreen sits alongside, angled towards the driver, and a separate 3D head-up display is optional. Physical controls remain for functions including the volume, hazard lights, parking brake and heated rear window, so not every job involves a trip through a touchscreen menu.
BMW’s voice assistant uses Amazon’s Alexa+ technology to support more natural conversations, while the car can receive software updates over the air after delivery. The Digital Premium package is included in the UK, bringing entertainment, security and additional navigation features.
The i3 also has a control computer called the Heart of Joy, which coordinates the motors, braking, energy recovery and some steering functions. BMW says it processes driving information up to ten times faster than its previous systems, with the aim of making those different functions work together more seamlessly.
The i3’s Soft Stop feature uses the electric motors to bring the car to a halt, designed to avoid that last little nod forwards as you stop. Adaptive M suspension with sport steering is available as an option on both versions with M Sport or M Sport Pro trim.
Driving Assistant Plus is standard, helping control speed and distance from the car ahead while keeping the car in lane. Alongside that, BMW’s Symbiotic Drive is designed to let the driver steer, accelerate or brake without immediately switching the assistance off.
The optional Motorway Assistant goes further, allowing hands-free driving on compatible motorways, but the driver must still pay attention throughout. Hands off doesn’t mean eyes off: it remains a driver-assistance system, not a self-driving car.
Parking Assistant Plus is also optional, adding a 360-degree view around the car and the ability to record and repeat regular manoeuvres. Parking Assistant Professional lets you control parking from outside the car using the smartphone app, including those stored manoeuvres.
An i3 M60 xDrive performance model will join the range in 2027, with steering-wheel paddles allowing drivers to alter how the electric drive system responds. It’ll add more standard equipment including 20-inch wheels, a Harman Kardon sound system, three-zone air conditioning and a 3D head-up display.
Production of the i3 began in Munich in August, at the same factory that built the first 3 Series in 1975. The site will switch entirely to electric car production in 2027.
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