- Order books open early for the BMW i3
- First Edition model priced from £57,905
- Regular i3 will start at £53,005
- Range of up to 567 miles
- Will have the longest range of any EV in the UK
- Second BMW to wear Neue Klasse design, after iX3
BMW has confirmed its red-hot new i3 Saloon will cost from £53,005 in the UK - a cool £11k more than the base petrol 3 Series.
The i3 - the first fully electric 3 Series - will go on sale properly this autumn with a driving range of up to 567 miles on a single charge.
But BMW has actually thrown open the order books early - ahead of the official market launch - so that customers can get their mitts on a shiny First Edition variant.
The First Edition is slightly more pricey than the regular i3, priced from £57,905 to purchase outright.
The entry-level, traditionally-fuelled BMW 3 Series, meanwhile, costs from £41,945.
Jochen Goller, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Customer, Brands, Sales, said: “The new BMW i3 is a groundbreaking car for us. As a fully electric model, it will be competing in a high-volume segment and is therefore extremely significant for the BMW Group. At the same time, we can already tell from the high level of interest in this model that it will be very well received by our customers. The start of orders in First Edition form – ahead of the official market launch – is an important next step here.”
What is the BMW i3 50 xDrive First Edition?
The BMW i3 50 xDrive First Edition is, as the name suggests, the first i3 that’s available to order in the UK.
It gets an M Sport interior, an illuminated ‘Iconic Glow’ front grille and a 22 kW on-board charger.
The cabin also gets electrically adjustable front multifunction seats, three-zone air con, heated steering wheel, Harman Kardon surround sound system, auto tailgate, and the brilliant ‘Panoramic Vision’ tech (which projects info onto the lower edge of the windscreen) borrowed from the BMW iX3.
There’s a full suite of safety tech, too, including an optional ‘Motorway Assist’ function (not yet operational in UK cars but a launch is coming soon) which enables hands-free driving in a similar fashion to Ford’s BlueCruise system.
What battery does the BMW i3 50 xDrive First Edition have?
Underpinning the i3 50 xDrive First Edition is a 108.7 kWh battery that’s supported by 800V electric architecture for rapid charging at speeds up to 400 kW DC.
If you can find a charger that supports such pacey replenishes, you can add 263 miles of range in just 10 minutes.
The range itself for the First Edition model tops out at 563 miles - which sees the BMW i3 streaking ahead of the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ as the EV with the longest range currently available in the UK.
That’s a noteworthy stat indeed.
How powerful is the BMW i3 50 xDrive First Edition?
The i3 50 xDrive powertrain sees two electric motors, one on each axle, combining to develop 469hp and 645 Nm torque.
That’s enough to see the i3 accelerate from 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds - which isn’t far off the 392hp BMW M340i, which can hit 62mph from a standstill in 4.3 seconds.
Meanwhile BMW’s next-gen computing wizardry - including the ‘Heart of Joy’ superbrain - promises better responsiveness, sharper handling, and a more agile driving experience all round.
We’ll let you know when the BMW i3 becomes available to order to lease customers.
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