BMW has unveiled the i3 eDrive35L, a fully electric four-door sedan based on the long-wheelbase version of the 3-Series that will be available in China from May 2022. The model that appeared in a series of leaked photos last December will be locally assembled and is tailored for the needs of Chinese customers. The electric sedan expands the EV range of BMW while hinting at the upcoming facelifted 3-Series.
The first fully-electric 3-Series, as BMW
calls it, gets the i3 eDrive35L moniker to distinguish it from the old i3
hatchback. Design-wise it gets a new set of LED headlights that will most
likely be carried over to the facelifted 3-Series range, a covered kidney
grille signifying its electric nature, a redesigned front bumper with different
intakes, new side sills similar to the i4, aero wheels, plus a new rear bumper
with an integrated diffuser. BMW didn’t show pictures of the interior, but
confirmed it gets the latest Operating System 8.
The i3 eDrive35L has a wheelbase of 2,966
mm which according to our math is 115 mm longer
than the regular 3-Series, and 5 mm longer than the 3-Series Li
(China) and the 3-Series Gran Limousine (India). With a length of 4,872 mm, the EV is also 43 mm longer than the aforementioned
models, due to the redesigned bumpers. However, the electric conversion had its
toll on the boot which is 410 liters against the 480 liters of the ICE-powered long-wheelbase 3-Series. The model is fitted
with the Gen5 eDrive powertrain that is already used in the iX3, the i4, and
the iX. Here, the rear-mounted electric motor produces 282 hp and 400 Nm of torque, allowing a 0-100 km/h acceleration
in 6.2 seconds.
The floor-mounted battery has a capacity
of 70.3 kWh gross (66.1 kWh net) which is good for a 526 km range
measured under the CLTC protocols with an energy consumption of 14.3 kWh/100
km. BMW says the battery can charge up to 95 kW DC and 11 kW AC. In the fastest
charging option, the battery needs 35 minutes to charge from 10 to 80 percent,
adding 97 km of range in 10 minutes.
The suspension has been locally tuned
specifically for the Chinese road conditions by the R&D department of BMW
Brilliance Automotive Ltd. In the same context, a number of components were
adapted “to the requirements of the supply chain in China”. The i3 eDrive35L
will be assembled exclusively for the Chinese market in Lydia Shenyang by BMW
Brilliance Automotive Ltd.
Together with the new car unveiling, BMW
published photos of its entire electric range including the i3, the i4, the i3
eDrive35L, the iX, the iX3, the upcoming iX1, and the i7 flagship that will
debut on April 20 at the 2022 Beijing Auto Show. Some of the family photos also
include the BMW CE 04 Electric Scooter, as well as the MINI Cooper SE which
will soon be replaced by a new and fully electric generation of the MINI Hatch.
Overall, the BMW Group (BMW, Mini, Rolls-Royce) wants EVs to account for half
of its global sales by 2030.
