√2025 BMW i3 electric sedan imagined
BMW is working on a 3 Series-sized sedan to debut the next generation of its electric-car technology. Here’s what it could look like.
New computer illustrations have previewed what the electric future of the BMW 3 Series sedan could look like, due in showrooms in 2025.
The German car-maker has confirmed it plans to debut its ‘Neue Klasse’ architecture – which will underpin the next generation of its electric-car line-up – on a 3 Series-sized sedan due in 2025, widely tipped to wear the i3 badge.
The i Vision Dee concept revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in the US last week is believed to preview the styling of the new sedan – and digital artist Theottle has illustrated what the show car could look like in production form.
The CES concept car follows 2021’s i Vision Circular show car in previewing a new design language for BMW, trading the big grilles and bold features for a minimalist, simple look BMW designers dub “reductive design”.
Key BMW design features are “reimagined” on the concept, the company says – the dual front ‘kidney’ grilles are blanked off and become styling features, while the quad circular headlights become diagonal stripes.
Theottle’s render retains the i Vision Dee’s shape, but adds door mirrors, handles, and licence plates needed for the road, plus production wheels, a new rear bumper, and an air intake up front for battery cooling.
The thick black trim around the side windows on the concept has been retained, albeit toned down. A similar design feature is seen on the i Vision Circular concept – suggesting it could be a key design feature on future BMW production cars.
The four headlight stripes on the i Vision Dee may not provide illumination – low/high beams, daytime-running lights and indicators – needed for a production car, so we’ve added some small LED projector beams behind the front glass panels.
Few technical details of the cars on the Neue Klasse chassis have been confirmed – however executives have announced they will share nothing with past BMW cars, and the new platform is the most expensive project in BMW history.
BMW has confirmed the Neue Klasse electric platform – named after the cars that saved BMW from bankruptcy in the 1950s – is due to debut in 2025 with a 3 Series-sized car, ahead of a BMW X3-sized SUV.
However, it is unclear if the current petrol-powered 3 Series will be replaced directly by the electric car, as some reports have suggested – or if petrol will live on, either as another update for the current model, or a new model with restyled bodywork over carry-over underpinnings.
According to a report from the UK’s Car magazine, Neue Klasse cars may offer battery packs between 75kWh and 150kWh, between 200kW and 1000kW, ultra-fast charging, and up to 600km of claimed driving range.
The publication reports regular BMW models are planned to offer single-motor rear-wheel-drive or dual-motor all-wheel-drive options – while performance M models will upgrade to four motors, one driving each wheel.
The batteries in the Neue Klasse cars adopt a similar design to Tesla, packaging the battery cells into cylindrical containers measuring 46mm in diameter.
BMW claims its next-generation batteries can deliver up to 30 per cent more driving range, 30 per cent faster recharging (10 to 80 per cent), and emit 60 per cent less CO2 during production – for half the price of current designs.
As per the latest Tesla cars, the BMW batteries will be what are described as “structural” – meaning that instead of packaging the cells into modules that fit into packs, the modules are done away with, mounting the battery cells directly to the pack and using them in the core structure of the car.
This reduces cost by eliminating the need to produce battery modules – while giving car makers more space to package battery cells into each car.
Production of the BMW i3 electric sedan is due to begin in 2025 – or 2026, if there are delays – across three factories: in Germany, Mexico, and a brand-new facility in Hungary.
If past BMW models are a guide, expect to see photos emerge of the first prototypes on public roads in Europe towards the end of this year – or two years before the car is due on sale overseas.
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