BMW planned to open order books for the new i3 sedan this fall, but now, the automaker is opening them this week instead. The reason is the kind of happy problem every automaker wishes they had.
As it turns out, too many people want to buy the car, and the automaker decided it would be rude to make them wait.
When can you actually buy the i3 in the US?
According to a report from the German publication Automobilwoche, BMW is already taking orders for a “1st Edition” i3 in Germany, months ahead of the original timeline. Only one version is available to order right now: the i3 50 xDrive.
The early launch isn’t changing anything on the production side, though. The assembly is still on track to begin in Munich this August. For American buyers, the wait will be longer, as the i3 will arrive in the United States in 2027, with pricing still unannounced.
When it does land, it comes with a NACS charging port, meaning it’ll work natively at Tesla Superchargers, with a CCS adapter included for everything else.
What does the BMW i3 offer?
Preliminary EPA testing puts its range at around 440 miles, which is more than what any Tesla currently offers to US drivers. Power comes from two electric motors making 469 horsepower and 476 pound-feet of torque.
The motors are fed by a roughly 107 kWh battery that charges at up to 400 kW. The 400 kW charge rate means that despite the large battery, a 10-to-80% top-up takes just 22 minutes.
Every i3 also comes with Vehicle-to-Load support, allowing you to draw up to 3.7 kW from the battery to power tools, appliances, or other electronic items. A rear-wheel-drive option with a smaller battery pack is also expected down the line, though BMW hasn’t confirmed a timeline for it.