BMW will sell you an i3 sedan today, provided you’re willing to buy one in China, where it’s exclusively built and sold. We’re talking about the long-wheelbase electric sedan (“G28”) based on the CLAR platform. A globally available electric sedan in the 3 Series segment won’t arrive until 2026. In the meantime, the German luxury brand is giving us an early look at the “NA0.”
Even with camouflage, it’s easy to notice that the prototypes look completely different than the i3 mentioned above. Hiding underneath the disguise is the 2023 Vision Neue Klasse concept in a near-production guise. BMW isn’t providing details so far since the debut is still roughly a year away. However, BMWBLOG has already learned that the i3 and next-generation 3 Series “G50” will look nearly identical.
BMW likely has a good reason for showing two prototypes. We’re probably dealing with different versions of the i3, and we are glad to see one of them rides on silver wheels. The classic look for the alloys is making a comeback, as seen most recently on the 2025 M2, M3, and M4. Elsewhere, the signature double headlights and the wide grille between them are hard to miss.
The flush door handles are part of a greater effort to improve aerodynamics to unlock more range. In the iX3 Neue Klasse’s case, BMW has pledged that overall vehicle efficiency will jump by 20% compared to the outgoing CLAR-based model. Expect major improvements for the new i3 versus the electric sedan sold in China.
Even without images showing the interior, it’s clear that there’s no screen in front of the driver. That’s because the i3 sedan will feature iDrive X, which will do without the conventional instrument cluster. The Panoramic Vision will take its place as a projection with three fixed tiles in the driver’s line of sight. The remaining six sections to the right will be customizable. Taking center stage on the dashboard will be a massive 17.9-inch touchscreen.
BMW will commence pre-production at the Munich plant before the end of the year. Series production will not start until later in 2026, possibly in July. When it does eventually arrive, the i3 will have the Gen6 cylindrical batteries and next-generation electric motors we’ve recently dissected.
The new 3 Series with gas engines is likely to enter production in Dingolfing just a few months after the i3. It’s important to note that the gas 3er won’t be made in Munich anymore. The historic plant in Germany will exclusively build EVs by the end of 2027.
