BMW is conducting winter testing of the fully electric i3 sedan at its test centre in Arjeplog, Sweden, ahead of the model’s design premiere on 18 March 2026. The vehicle is set to enter production in the second half of 2026 as the second model in the Neue Klasse range.
The i3 features sixth-generation eDrive (Gen6) with 800-volt technology, a provisional maximum system output of 345 kW, peak charging capacity of up to 400 kW, and 645 Nm of torque. Its drive configuration pairs an electrically excited synchronous motor on the rear axle with an asynchronous motor on the front axle.
Central to the i3’s driving dynamics is the “Heart of Joy” control unit, one of four superbrains in the Neue Klasse architecture. Combined with BMW’s in-house Dynamic Performance Control software, it manages the powertrain, brakes, steering functions and recuperation, with response times ten times faster than previous systems.
Testing on the snow-covered roads and frozen lakes around Arjeplog is focused on fine-tuning drive and suspension systems under reproducible low-friction conditions. BMW says the Heart of Joy’s precise motor control enables energy recuperation even during cornering without compromising driving stability.
“The BMW i3 applies the sporty sedan’s typical characteristics to a completely new vehicle concept defined by the BMW 3 Series DNA,” Mike Reichelt, Head of Neue Klasse BMW, said. “At the same time, pushing the conventional boundaries of electric mobility into new territory, thanks to the potential of our Neue Klasse.”
