2026 BMW i3 Sedan

Electric Sedan · Single Electric Motor (Neue Klasse) · RWD

81/100

AutoVault's overall score, weighted for what a electric sedan is actually for — performance, technology, comfort, reliability, safety and value.

Specifications

Engine	Single Electric Motor (Neue Klasse)
Horsepower	340 hp
Torque	380 lb-ft
0–60 mph	5.3 sec
Top speed	115 mph
Drivetrain	RWD
Seats	5
Combined MPG	109 mpg (114 city / 105 hwy)
Range	285 miles
MSRP	$55,000
Body style	Electric Sedan

The verdict

What's good

Neue Klasse platform delivers a genuinely new architecture, not a converted ICE car
RWD layout preserves the rear-biased balance BMW sedans are known for
Interior materials and display quality set a benchmark among electric sedans
Over-the-air update capability keeps tech features current over ownership period

What's not

Range estimate may fall short in cold climates with heat running full time
Single-motor rear-drive base trim can feel tail-light on icy roads
Neue Klasse is a brand-new platform so long-term ownership costs are unknown
Charging speed is competitive but not class-leading against Hyundai 800V rivals

The engine

Gen6 eDrive (Neue Klasse)

Single Electric Motor RWD

BMW's sixth-generation eDrive motor delivers smooth, rear-biased torque with the brand's signature poise, engineered for efficiency and real-world range rather than just headline numbers.

It debuts on BMW's clean-sheet 'Neue Klasse' platform — a name reviving the 1960s sedans that saved the company — with the i3 nameplate reborn as an electric sedan built at BMW's Munich home plant.

The Neue Klasse uses an 800-volt architecture with new cylindrical Gen6 cells in a cell-to-pack design that deletes modules entirely.
That architecture enables roughly 400 kW DC fast charging, a generational leap over BMW's prior prismatic-cell packs.
The i3 name, once a quirky carbon-tubbed city car, returns here as BMW's most important volume electric sedan.

See the rest in AutoVault

The six sub-scores behind the 81 — performance, tech, comfort, reliability, safety and value
Market value today and year-by-year value history
All 4 trims with pricing
Studio photography — exterior, rear and interior
Side-by-side comparison with up to four cars

Open in AutoVault