It’s Here: The 2027 BMW i3 Sedan Should Worry Other EVs

This is it. The one we’ve been waiting for: the all-new 2027 BMW i3, the first sedan of the Neue Klasse era.

The Neue Klasse iX3 SUV came first, yes, but as BMW heads know — and as any BMW executive will readily admit — the 3 Series is and always has been the beating heart of the company. This car distills everything BMW is into a single product.

If you’re wondering where BMW is going, where it thinks its customers are going, where the entire heaving auto industry is going, the 2027 BMW i3 is the answer.

And, well, if we were other car companies we’d be worried. The Bavarians have reportedly invested over 10 billion euros in the Neue Klasse family — more than in anything else in company history. The result? Not only does the i3 have the potential (and the spec sheet) to put BMW ahead of its usual luxury-brand rivals, it instantly puts BMW in contention as a new leader in the EV race.

We also happen to think the Neue Klasse design is pretty cool in sedan form, but make up your own mind. The four-eyed face and horizontal kidney-shaped grille is certainly (thankfully) easy on the eyes. The new i3 has a hint of BMW classics, like the beloved E30, but it’s a fresh take, bringing BMW’s usual design cues forward into a bright new future. In short, the i3 looks totally new, but instantly recognizable. This is probably the best thing to come out of a BMW design studio in years, maybe decades.

What’s the Range and Price of the 2027 BMW i3 in Canada?

Let’s cut to the chase with some numbers, shall we? They’re impressive.

BMW estimates the 2027 i3’s driving range is up to 700 kilometres, based on North America’s EPA test cycle. That’s huge, especially for a compact sedan. (It blows the Tesla Model 3 out of the water.)

Canadian prices haven’t been announced yet, but we’ll keep you posted.

When Is the 2027 BMW i3 Coming to Canada?

BMW Canada says, “Production of the new BMW i3 for the Canadian market will start at the end of 2026 and deliveries are expected in the first half of 2027.”

Okay, But Is the New i3 Quick? What’s Under the Hood?

The i3 50 xDrive — the first of many models in the new electric 3 Series lineup — will not be slow. Two motors, one at each axle, combine to produce 463 horsepower and 476 lb-ft of torque. No 0-100 km/h time is quoted, but that’s a lot of thrust.

The powertrain is all sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology, which means it’s got all the latest and greatest EV tech: 800-volt architecture, up to 400 kW DC fast charging, new batteries, new cell-to-pack architecture, better energy density, and — in this case — a NACS charging plug to ensure easy access to Tesla’s vast Supercharger network. BMW isn’t quoting specific charging times, but claims these Neue Klasse EVs charge 30 per cent faster than their predecessors.

Remember when we said the 3 Series is the heart of BMW? Well, that means it needs to be three things: fast, comfortable, and fun to drive. It’s a tall order, but one the 3 Series has delivered more often than not. We’ll reserve judgment until we drive it, but we hear good things about the brand’s new Heart of Joy supercomputer; its sole purpose is to make the driving experience engaging, cohesive, predictable and therefore totally entertaining as well. We’ll see.

Any Cool Tech or Features in the Cabin of the 2027 BMW i3?

How much time do you have? There’s BMW’s Panoramic iDrive system, a projected display that runs the width of the windscreen. (You’ve really just got to see it IRL to appreciate how cool it is.) This display, along with the angular new central touchscreen, runs on BMW Operating System X. We’re sad to see that it ditches many physical buttons (as well as the rotary iDrive controller) but it’s one of those things we’ll really need to try before passing judgement. The internet hasn’t waited to judge the i3’s new sci-fi steering wheel though. It’s already proving to be a love-it or hate-it feature.

Because everyone will ask: yes, there’s a frunk (front trunk) — albeit a rather small one.

As for tech, well, it’s got everything: AI smarts, a digital assistant, Level 2+ automated driving assists, 3D head-up display, multiple modes, apps, lighting animations, and it’s all customizable, of course. But we do like how so much of the tech is (sort of) hidden; BMW calls it “shy tech,” and it means you’re not constantly faced with 17 sub-menus — in theory.

Will There Still Be a Gas-Powered BMW 3 Series?

Yes, the combustion-engine 3 Series will live on. It’ll be an evolution of the existing 3 Series’ architecture, with Neue Klasse design cues and tech, according to online sleuths who track these things.

If there’s any controversy surrounding the Neue Klasse i3, it has to do with the fact there will now be two different 3 Series models: gas and electric. BMW found great success (both financially and with customers) by building EVs and gas vehicles on a common, shared platform. Now BMW is, apparently, going the other way and choosing instead to build EVs and gas vehicles on two different platforms. Whether it’s the right move or not, only time (and sales) will decide.

In case it wasn’t obvious: we’re eager to drive this one, and you probably should be too.

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