BMW is working on an assortment of
electric vehicles and spy photographers have snapped new pictures of the
upcoming 3-Series EV. Dressed in heavily camouflage, the eco-friendly sedan has
a unique front fascia with vertical air intakes and a wide central opening. The
design is vaguely reminiscent of the iX3, but it will likely prove less
polarizing.
The grille is disguised, but it should be
fully enclosed to improve the car’s aerodynamics. The headlights should also be
the same ones used on the standard 3-Series. Additional changes are limited,
but the prototype lacks an exhaust system and features a unique rear bumper as
a result. We can also see plenty of “Electric Test Vehicle” stickers.
BMW has been tight-lipped about the
upcoming model, but it’s apparently based on the long-wheelbase version of the
3-Series. This could mean the EV will be exclusive to China but, on the bright
side, the longer wheelbase should result in a sizable battery pack.
Unfortunately, there’s no word on specifications
at this point. However, it’s not hard to imagine the model sharing its
powertrain with the upcoming i4. If that’s the case, the 3-Series could have
around 523 hp and a 0-100 km/h time of
approximately four seconds. The model could also sport a 80+ kWh battery that
provides around 600 km)of range in the WLTP cycle. Of course,
there’s always the possibility that the 3-Series EV could have a less
impressive powertrain. That remains to be seen, but the iX3 has an 80 kWh
battery which powers an electric motor that develops 282 hp and 400 Nm of torque.
