The all-new BMW i3 has leaked and the full-width illuminated kidney grille is the most dramatic BMW design in years
Published on Mar 18, 2026 at 6:08 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Mar 18, 2026 at 6:08 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
This is the new BMW i3, which is basically an electric alternative to the 3 Series.
Built on the new Neue Klasse platform, this is the second electric vehicle unveiled by the German automaker as part of this ‘new era’, and it’s certainly promising.
The name might be a bit misleading because the company is reusing a previous moniker, but this vehicle is 100 percent built from scratch.
And of course it integrates AI.
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Meet the new BMW i3
Those with good memory will know that this isn’t the first BMW i3.
It isn’t even the second i3.
Technically, BMW has already used this name twice before unveiling the car you see here.
Since 2022, the electric version of the 3 Series has been sold in China as the i3.
And then of course, people will remember the 2013 BMW i3, a small, quirky-looking electric car sold for about nine years and unveiled alongside the i8.
The original i3 – the 2013 model – was the manufacturer’s first attempt at BEVs.
If we had to guess, based on sales and feedback from both customers and the media, we’d say that the i3 told the brand there was a market for EVs, but they’d have to change a few things around.
This leads us to the new i3, which is part of a new strategy that’s a lot more hardcore, and, more importantly, a lot more defined.
The new BMW i3 follows a specific pattern
BMW is finally moving from ‘experimental’ EVs to a structured, scalable lineup.
Back then, they unveiled the i3, which was a tiny electric city-SUV, and the i8, which was a hybrid sportscar.
There was no rhyme or reason, but there is now.
The new i3 is the second production model based on the company’s new electric platform dubbed ‘Neue Klasse’, which is German for ‘new class’.
Rather than attacking completely separate brackets of the market, BMW decided to simply create an electric alternative to two best sellers: the X3 and the 3 Series.
The i3 is more or less an electric alternative to the 3 Series, and obviously a way to draw customers away from the Tesla Model 3 and Y, but also the Porsche Taycan.
Aside from using the same platform, it also shares the same powertrain as the iX3, with up to 463 horsepower and 476lb-ft of torque.
The i3 also uses AI (because of course it does) to integrate powertrain and chassis dynamics, responding 10 times faster than previous systems.
The range is between 440 and 560 miles depending on how you count it.
The manufacturer lists 440 miles for the EPA cycle, which is the standard in the US, and 560 miles for WLTP, which is the European standard.
The ‘real’ range will probably be somewhere in between.
It is slightly larger than the 3 Series, and the interior is completely different, with a new (asymmetrical) 17.9-inch central touchscreen.
Deliveries are scheduled for late 2026-early 2027 as a 2027 model year vehicle.
The price hasn’t been announced yet, but you can expect it to be north of $50,000-$60,000.
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After beginning his automotive writing career at DriveTribe, Alessandro has been with Supercar Blondie since the launch of the website in 2022. In fact, he penned the very first article published on supercarblondie.com. He’s covered subjects from cars to aircraft, watches, and luxury yachts - and even crypto. He can largely be found heading up the site’s new-supercar and SBX coverage and being the first to bring our readers the news that they’re hungry for.
