The next-gen BMW i3 Sedan celebrates its world premiere on March 18, and unlike the current China-only model we checked out in 2024, it will be a global EV. While Munich has yet to fully reveal the design and specs, many of the key features have already come to the surface.
Here are ten new features expected in the next-gen BMW i3 Sedan:
1. Four “Superbrains”
The next-gen BMW i3 Sedan will have four high-performance computers, marketed as “Superbrains,” part of a new electronics architecture.
These will manage its driving dynamics, automated driving functions, infotainment functions, and basic functions such as vehicle access, comfort, and climate control.
A simplified wiring harness based on a zonal wiring harness architecture and divided into four zones: front, center, rear, and roof, will reduce the amount of wiring, offering a significant weight reduction.
2. Electronically deploying door handles
BMW will equip the next-gen i3 Sedan with electronically operated door handles that sit flush with the body and automatically extend on recognizing the key fob.
3. BMW Panoramic Vision
The all-new i3 Sedan will have BMW Panoramic Vision, which projects content directly onto a black printed surface stretching across the lower section of the windshield. The driver-side area of this projection surface will serve as a replacement for an instrument cluster.
4. Ultra-fast charging
The next-gen BMW i3 Sedan should be one of the fastest-charging luxury EVs from a legacy car brand. It will feature an 800-volt electrical architecture that enables charging at up to 400 kW, allowing customers to charge from 10% to 80% SoC in just around 20 minutes.
5. NACS charge port & automatic flap
The U.S.-spec next-gen i3 Sedan will have an NACS charging port secured by a flap that automatically opens when the driver approaches it to plug in a charging cable.
The NACS port means customers will be able to charge the new i3 Sedan at open-network Tesla Superchargers that are spread across the U.S. and Canada, particularly dense in states like California, Texas, and Florida.
6. All-wheel drive
BMW has confirmed that it will launch the new i3 Sedan in a 50 xDrive variant that employs an Electrically Excited Synchronous Motor (EESM) at the rear axle and a new Asynchronous Motor (ASM) at the front.
This will be a rear-biased setup engineered for a sporty driving experience and result in 463 hp and 476 lb.-ft. of torque. Single-motor RWD variants should follow a few months after the launch.
The AWD feature would also appeal to customers in colder U.S. states such as Colorado, Michigan, and the New England states, where winter traction is high up on the list.
7. Hexagonal display
Another stand-out feature on the display front in the next-gen BMW i3 Sedan should be a uniquely designed 17.9-inch central touchscreen featuring matrix backlight technology for the infotainment system.
8. Entertainment options
We expect the next-gen i3 Sedan to offer a range of entertainment options in the infotainment system, which will run the BMW Operating System X. This will include music playback, video streaming via Disney+ and YouTube, and casual gaming via AirConsole.
9. Video-conferencing
The infotainment system of the next-gen i3 Sedan should allow users to perform video calls when the car is stationary via the Zoom app. When the vehicle starts moving, it will stop showing the video but continue the call in audio form.
Also See: First Look Review: Fourth-gen BMW X5 PHEV still strong, next-gen (G65) on the horizon
10. BMW Symbiotic Drive
BMW Symbiotic Drive should allow the next-gen i3 Sedan to lightly intervene in an automated driving scenario by manually steering or braking without switching off the driver assistance.
Featured Image: TopElectricSUV.com’s rendering
International Automotive News Editor since 2014, covering global motor shows, industry events, and test-driving various vehicles, with a focus on hybrid and electric cars in recent years.
