Overview
- BMW began taking orders on Wednesday for its eighth‑generation 3 Series family, opening U.S. configurators and reservation deposits for the all‑electric i3 50 xDrive and revised petrol models.
- The i3 debuts with large battery packs (108.7 kWh and 82.8 kWh), BMW’s 800V sixth‑generation eDrive that supports bidirectional charging, and claimed fast charging up to 400 kW that the company says can add hundreds of miles in minutes.
- BMW published U.S. pricing for launch models with the i3 starting at $61,500 ($62,850 including destination) and the petrol M350 xDrive at $65,900, making the EV about $4,400 cheaper at base price while fully loaded i3 builds can top roughly $78,650.
- Production is split between sites in Bavaria with the electric i3 built at BMW Group Plant Munich and combustion 3 Series made at Dingolfing, and BMW plans additional variants and over‑the‑air features such as an i3 M60 and a plug‑in hybrid to arrive through 2027.
- By offering matched design, digital architecture and both drivetrains under one badge, BMW aims to ease customer transition to EVs, accelerate competition with mainstream electric sedans, and tie some advanced features to option packages or time‑limited subscriptions that will affect ownership costs.