BMW was an electric vehicle pioneer and the company is now fully embracing them thanks to the introduction of the i4 and iX. That lineup is set to expand even further as spy photographers have snapped new pictures of the electric 3-Series sedan. Apparently based on the long-wheelbase variant, the eco-friendly model sports “Electric Test Vehicle” badging and a unique rear bumper without exhaust cut outs. While the front end is heavily disguised, it will presumably feature an enclosed grille similar to the one used on the iX3.
The EV prototype is interesting by itself, but the model appears to be based on the facelifted 3-Series as it features restyled headlights with new boomerang-shaped daytime running lights. Spy photographers couldn’t get close enough to snap interior pictures, but you can see the cabin is decked out in camouflage. While that’s not much to go on, the model is expected to adopt BMW’s Curved Display which consists of a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.9-inch infotainment system running iDrive 8.
Performance specifications are a mystery, but the i4 could provide some clues. It will be offered in a couple of configurations including an eDrive 40 variant that has an 83.9 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and an electric motor that develops 335 hp and 430 Nm of torque. It enables the model to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 5.7 seconds, hit an electronically limited top speed of 190 km/h and travel up to 590 km in the WLTP cycle.
The company will also offer an i4 M50 with two electric motors producing a combined output of 537 hp and 795 Nm of torque. This cuts the 0-100 km/h time to 3.9 seconds and increases the top speed to 225 km/h, but the WLTP range drops to a max of 510 km. Of course, previous reports have suggested the model could be exclusive to China and there has been speculation it could adopt the iX3’s powertrain instead of the one used in the i4.
