It might seem ridiculous, but the 3 Series is also going to have its own fully electric version. We don't know what that's called yet, but we're probably dealing with the i3. Yes, that's the name of the unsuccessful little city car, which BMW probably wants you to forget.
The automaker seems to have a naming convention here. They revealed the electric version of the X3 recently, and it's called the iX3. Meanwhile, the i4 might look like a unique machine in concept form, but the production model is probably going to share parts with the 4 Series Gran Coupe.
This potential i3 prototype has been spotted undergoing testing in Germany in both urban environments and on the highway. It's got "Electric Test Vehicle" written in places, so we know that it's not your average 3 Series.
In addition, several elements suggest we're dealing with an EV. For example, even the 330e plug-in hybrid has visible exhaust tips, but this doesn't. The under-floor battery also pushes the doors up a little.
We expect the i3 to feature only a few cosmetic changes, such as the blue bumper accents and a blocked off conjoined kidney grille. The interior will be about the same, and that's not really a problem. Powertrain-wise, the car might have the 282 horsepower e-motor at the back, the same as the iX3, drawing energy from a 74 kWh battery pack. The range should be about the same as the SUV, which boasts 273 miles (440 km) in the WLTP test cycle.
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