BMW is launching a smaller, more affordable EV — SkimNews
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- BMW confirmed plans at its Capital Markets Day on Wednesday to launch a new entry-level Neue Klasse EV arriving in 2028, "with a focus on Europe."
- The i1 (codenamed "NBO" internally, per BMWBlog) will be a five-door hatchback on the Neue Klasse platform, sold alongside the gas-powered 1 Series.
- The entry-level EV will sit between the MINI Cooper Electric and the iX1/iX2 in BMW's European lineup, with cheaper trims likely RWD and xDrive variants offering AWD.
- BMWBlog sources said an i2 electric sedan could follow around 2030 — a model BMW has not publicly announced, but one more likely to reach US buyers than the Europe-only i1.
- BMW is joining Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and other luxury brands in racing to launch lower-cost electric vehicles as premium EV demand cools.
- The 2027 i3 sedan opened for orders this week at $61,500, the same starting price as the new iX3 SUV — establishing the price floor above which the i1 will undercut.
Why it matters: BMW's 2028 i1 gives European buyers a sub-iX1 EV, but the $61,500 starting price of the 2027 i3 sedan illustrates the gap US buyers face — and the i2 sedan won't arrive until around 2030, leaving American shoppers waiting years for a truly affordable BMW EV.
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