BMW unveils the electric i3 50 xDrive, the first fully electric 3 Series

BMW has revealed the 2027 i3 50 xDrive, the first fully electric 3 Series, built on the Neue Klasse architecture. The dual-motor sedan delivers 463 horsepower and 476 lb-ft of torque and carries a base MSRP of $61,500 plus a $1,350 destination charge.

Production began in August 2026 at BMW's modernized parent plant in Munich. United States customer deliveries are scheduled for the first quarter of 2027. The model arrives alongside gasoline siblings, which the brand is keeping in a technology-open strategy rather than retiring.

Two motors split the work. An electrically excited synchronous motor drives the rear axle with 322 hp, while a front asynchronous induction motor adds 165 hp. Together they push the sedan from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, managed by a centralized control computer.

BMW's 112.2 kWh battery pack returns an estimated EPA range of 446 to 468 miles. The 800-volt system accepts 400 kW DC fast charging, refilling from 10 to 80 percent in 21 minutes or adding up to 208 miles in ten.

The pack also supports bidirectional power, feeding a home or other devices through Vehicle-to-Load and Vehicle-to-Home functions. Rather than a conversion of an existing platform, the i3 integrates cylindrical lithium-ion cells into the chassis structure itself.

Neue Klasse design and cabin

The exterior adopts the reduced geometry of BMW's Neue Klasse language. A forward-leaning sharknose front end and a single visual panel bring together the kidney grille, twin horizontal LED headlights and driver-assistance sensors. Flush door handles and concealed window seals keep the surfaces clean.

The electric car grows slightly around its floor-mounted battery. Its wheelbase is 114.1 inches against the gasoline G50's 112.6, and it is 73.4 inches wide. BMW credits the structural battery housing with higher torsional rigidity and a lower overall height.

Inside, the traditional instrument cluster is gone. BMW Panoramic iDrive projects driving data across the lower windshield, paired with a 17.9-inch free-cut central display angled toward the driver and a multifunction steering wheel with shy-tech controls.

The naming revival is deliberate. BMW's original Neue Klasse series established the brand as a benchmark among enthusiast-first sports sedans in the early 1960s and is credited with saving the company from financial trouble.

The i3 50 xDrive also draws on the design cues of that lineage. The sharknose references the E24 6 Series of the 1970s and 1980s, while its proportions echo the stubby, athletic 2002.

The gasoline 3 Series beside it

The eighth-generation line is not electric only. The rear-drive 330 keeps the B48 turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder at 255 hp and starts at $51,250, with all-wheel drive adding $2,000. Peak torque now arrives at 1,600 rpm, refined slightly from 1,550.

At the top of the gas line, the new M350 xDrive replaces the outgoing M340i xDrive. Its B58 turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six makes a combined 437 hp, drawing up to 17 hp from a 48-volt hybrid system in the eight-speed automatic.

The M350 starts at $67,250 and comes only with all-wheel drive, though a Drift Moment feature decouples the front axle for tail-out driving. BMW claims a 3.6-second run to 60 mph, near what the last M340i managed.

The whole sedan has grown for 2027. It measures 187.2 inches long, 72.8 inches wide and 57.3 inches tall, with the wheelbase up 0.4 inch. BMW lists the rear-drive 330 at 3,827 pounds and the M350 xDrive at 4,169.

The electric i3 rides on BMW's NCAR platform, while the gasoline cars use an upgraded CLAR II architecture shared with the X3 and M5. A quicker steering ratio, wider tracks and, on the M350, 275-millimeter rear tires point toward sharper handling.

Design chief Adrian van Hooydonk frames the job as balancing past and future. "As much as we love our history, respect it, and take inspiration from it," he said, "we need to make sure that what we do will be relevant in the future."

A high-performance M3 is still to come, offered in both internal-combustion and battery-electric forms. BMW has said little about its timing beyond that it follows the current launch.

The i3 50 xDrive enters a field we track closely. BMW's first electric 3 Series faces rivals that have already staked out range and price claims, and its 468-mile figure resets the conversation for luxury electric sedans.