As the i3 will be the second EV to use the platform, we already know some of the technical details, such as BMW’s 6th-generation powertrain. At the core of the car is its 800 V battery pack, which uses new cylindrical cells that are 20 percent more energy-dense by volume than the prismatic cells you’d find in one of BMW ‘s 5th-gen EVs like the i4. The cell-to-pack design further increases the energy density of the pack compared to the previous generation. It’s able to DC fast-charge at up to 400 kW, and BMW is predicting up to 440 miles (708 km) of range, a 30 percent improvement on its 5th-gen EVs.

At launch, BMW will offer an i3 50 xDrive, which uses an asynchronous motor at the front axle and an electrically excited synchronous motor at the rear, with a combined output of 463 hp (345 kW) and 476 lb-ft (645 Nm). BMW says that energy losses are 40 percent lower than its 5th-gen powertrain, as well as being 10 percent lighter and 20 percent cheaper to make. The whole thing is a lot more sustainable, too. It uses about 30 percent recycled materials, and there’s a greater use of mono materials to make recycling much easier at the car’s end of life. Together with extensive use of renewable energy throughout the supply chain, BMW says that the i3 50 xDrive takes as little as a year to break even with a gasoline-powered model in terms of carbon output.

It should be good to drive

The 3 Series built its reputation on stellar driving dynamics, and BMW knows the i3 will need to deliver on that to win over enthusiasts. Weight distribution is close to 50:50, with a low center of gravity thanks to the battery pack. It has softer springs than the iX3 for better ride comfort, with less-stiff top-mount bushings, different stiffnesses for the antiroll bars, and a stiffer connection to the rear wheel carriers.

Torque delivery is rear-biased out of corners, and under regenerative braking the rear axle regens more than the front at first to stabilize the car. The car can also supplement regen braking with the friction brakes at an individual corner, should the road conditions require. You probably won’t use the friction brakes much in day-to-day driving, though; BMW says regen should handle 95 percent of braking events, and in one-pedal driving mode, the i3 will make the smoothest stop of any BMW yet.