Twelve months from now, the production of the BMW i3 will come to an end. While its manufacturers are likely to unveil a successor to their affordable compact electric vehicle, don’t expect them to take a revolutionary approach. As BMW embarks on its “Neue Klasse” era of electrification, a company executive responsible for growth underscores that there is little to no room for a vehicle like the i3 in the brand’s electric future.
Whether you’re a fan or not, the i3 remains an iconic milestone in BMW’s history as the company’s first mass-produced, fully-electric vehicle, which marked the beginning of its transition towards its Neue Klasse electric architecture.
During an era when Tesla’s and Nissan LEAFs were the driving forces in the electric vehicle market, the i3 made its debut in 2013 as a pioneering model. Over its nine-year production run, more than 250,000 i3s were sold globally, eliciting both acclaim for its innovative, zero-emission hatchback and skepticism as an unconventional offspring within BMW’s esteemed lineage of premium, modern designs.
One board member of BMW’s administration for growth appears to share some common ground with the latter group of BMW enthusiasts… or at the very least, can understand their discontent towards the boxy design of the electric vehicle that triggered this evolution.
As BMW forges ahead with its electric vision, reassurances abound that the brand’s upcoming affordable, compact EV will stay true to the design cues that have earned its fanbase’s devotion like a trusted companion.
compact luxury sedan. new A new wave of electric vehicles is expected to arrive on the market sooner than anticipated.
What will come next after the successful BMW i3? Although BMW recently debuted a new i3 model in China, this iteration is actually built on the platform of the Three Series, rather than the polarizing hatchback design that sparked initial controversy. According to a recent interview with Frank Weber, member of the board of administration for growth at BMW, the company is considering launching a customer-centric electric vehicle model to replace the i3. However, it’s unlikely that the successor will resemble its predecessor in any way.
While many enthusiasts praised the i3’s innovative design and eco-friendly credentials, others couldn’t help but question whether it truly embodied the essence of a BMW. An anomaly among peers, existing slightly apart from the classroom’s social fabric. We are not going to repeat that one again.
BMW needs to introduce a competitively priced and compact car to market. We create a seamless experience by offering customers an unrivalled gateway to the BMW brand. We’re thoroughly deliberating on whether an entry-level offering would be a fitting addition to the Neue Klasse family.
BMW’s Neue Klasse platform is expected to debut with a midsize sedan and SUV variants, effectively delaying the possibility of an i3 successor until at least 2026. Despite no further details being shared, Weber revealed that additional designs beyond the initial two are indeed in the works. Perhaps we’ll witness the arrival of an innovative i3 model. Per the interview:
Within the initial two-year period, we plan to expand the Neue Klasse lineup by introducing four additional models. Considering this concept could lead to innovative developments from compact vehicles downwards and expanded applications upwards towards larger-scale transportation solutions.
