2027 BMW i3: Electric 3 Series to deliver solid performance and driving range

The 2027 BMW i3 has been priced for Australia, where the all-new mid-size electric sedan will initially be offered in two grades.

Including upgraded petrol versions, BMW has reduced the new 3 Series lineup to just four variants, with the range starting at $83,900 before on-road costs for the 320, and topping out with the M350 xDrive for $128,900 plus on-roads.

For those wanting electric power, the BMW i3 40 xDrive is priced from $96,900 plus ORCs, with the higher-spec i3 50 xDrive available from $112,900 plus ORCs.

The i3 40 xDrive uses an 82.8kWh battery and dual electric motors, for combined outputs of 275kW of power and 520Nm of torque – good for a claimed 0-100km/h time of 5.4 seconds.

According to BMW, the i3 40 xDrive has a driving range of between 566 and 710km on the WLTP cycle, while the i3 50 xDrive has up to 912km of range.

That’s thanks to its 108.7kWh battery pack, which feeds dual electric motors to produce a combined 345kW and 645Nm, allowing the 50 to hit 100km/h from a standstill in a claimed 4.7 seconds – on the way to a 200km/h top speed.

Both i3s get the BMW Iconic Glow exterior package, the M Sport package, adaptive M suspension, M Sport brakes in metallic dark blue, and 19-inch M aerodynamic wheels.

The M Sport Pro package can be optioned for an additional $4200, which adds M Sport brakes in red or blue, black mirror caps, and a black rear spoiler.

Inside, the i3 gets BMW’s new pillar-to-pillar Panoramic Vision screen below the windshield, plus a 3D head-up display, heated multifunction front seats, heated rear seats, a heated sports steering wheel, and a panoramic sunroof with “climate comfort glazing”.

There’s a choice of seven interior colour combinations – many being no-cost options – depending on the choice of front seats.

Optioning the M Sport Pro package also adds the M steering wheel, seat belts in the M colours, and front M Sport seats – though the multifunction seats can be optioned.

Alpine White is standard on i3s, though buyers can choose from nine additional metallic paints for $2000, and a matte Frozen Space Silver Metallic for $2000.

After decades of use, the German luxury automaker has changed its nomenclature, dropping the ‘i’ from the badges of its petrol variants – introducing the letter to delineate petrol-injection technology.

In recent years, BMW moved the ‘i’ to the front of the badge to represent electric vehicles, with ‘e’ reserved for plug-in hybrids.

The original i3 was considered its own standalone model and not part of the 3 Series family. That’s changed, with the i3 name now adopted by the first electric 3 Series, built on the company’s Neue Klasse platform.

The new BMW i3 is set to launch in Australia in the first quarter of 2027.

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