BMW teases new BMW i3

• New electric 3 Series shown on production line
• The i3 model will be the first new 3 Series released
• Full production starts in the second half of 2026

BMW has given us the clearest view yet of the all-new 3 Series, by showing off a disguised electric i3 version as it prepares for production in Germany.

The car seen here is what BMW calls a "near-series test vehicle" used in the final steps of full production, which is due to start in the second half of this year. The BMW i3 will be the first model produced in the new 3 Series line, which uses the same Neue Klasse design style seen on the latest iX3.  This look will adorn some 40 new or updated BMW models over the next two years. 

The revival of the i3 name follows its use on the long-running electric city car that was part of BMW's first run of electric vehicles between 2013 and 2022. Petrol models will also follow, along with a 3 Series Touring estate and an M3 high-performance version (with both petrol and electric power options) next year.

Little specific information about the new BMW i3 has been released so far, but we know it'll sit on a new electric vehicle platform with 800-volt architecture for fast charging, like the iX3. A range of around 500 miles on a full battery could be possible.

When it goes on sale, the new i3 will be arival for the next generation of Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which we should also see later this year.

We'll update this article with more information on the new BMW i3 when it's released.

2026 BMW i3 price and release date

There's no news yet on an official release date for the new BMW i3, but with production due to start in the second half of this year, we'd expect cars to arrive in the UK at the back end of the year or at the beginning of 2027.