Roughly a decade ago, BMW launched a model called the i3. It was a small hatchback with an electric powertrain, futuristic design, and an interior that combined luxury, practicality, and technology. While that model was BMW’s inaugural foray into mass-producing EVs, the brand has since seen its electrification effort blossom, with all-electric SUVs, sedans, and even a fully-electric version of its luxury sedan flagship, the 7 Series.
However, beyond even that, BMW has been preparing for a new chatper in its lineup, what it’s been calling “Neue Klasse.” The first Neue Klasse model from BMW, the new iX3, has been launched, but a new BMW i3 is also coming, and it’s not the same thing as the hatchback i3 of the past decade.
Rather, the new BMW i3 is a new, all-electric, Neue Klasse reimagination of BMW’s legendary 3 Series sedan, and as the launch of the series version quickly approaches, the first near-series test vehicles of the new BMW i3 have officially rolled off the production line in Munich. The milestone marks the first time the i3 has been built entirely at the Munich plant, using highly innovative and digitally-connected manufacturing techniques and processes.
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With a new chapter of BMW’s history on the horizon, the production of the new i3’s near-series test vehicles means that another new Neue Klasse model is close to being launched, showcasing an unprecedented level of technology, innovation, and futuristic design in a new cohort of BMW staple models.
Image Source: BMW
