BMW has officially started series production of the all-electric i3 at its historic Munich plant, marking a major milestone in the company’s Neue Klasse transformation. From 2027, the factory will produce electric vehicles exclusively, ending decades of combustion engine production at BMW’s home facility.
The Munich plant has undergone a major €650 million transformation, including a new body shop, expanded assembly and logistics areas, and new production technologies designed around BMW’s sixth generation electric architecture. BMW says these changes will reduce overall production costs at the plant by a further 10 percent.
The i3 is the first fully electric BMW 3 Series and the second production model based on the Neue Klasse platform. Initially, production focuses on the i3 50 xDrive, which uses a 108.7 kWh battery and two electric motors producing a combined 469 hp and 645 Nm of torque. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds and offers up to 912 km of WLTP range in standard specification.
The car’s 800 volt electrical system supports DC charging at up to 400 kW, with BMW claiming up to 423 km of additional WLTP range in just 10 minutes under optimal conditions.
The start of i3 production also marks the beginning of a broader transformation for Munich, with additional Neue Klasse models planned for the facility in the coming years. The first customer deliveries are expected in Europe from autumn 2026.
The new i3 therefore represents more than just BMW’s electric 3 Series. It marks the beginning of a new era for one of the company’s most historic production sites.
