With so much attention being focused on the BMW i4 and iNext, it’s easy to forget the company is also working on an electric 3-Series.
While it’s been months since the car was last spotted, the sedan was caught undergoing testing near the Nürburgring earlier today.
As you can see, the model will follow in the footsteps of the standard 3-Series and adopt a lightly modified front bumper with vertical air intakes. While the grille is camouflaged, it will be fully enclosed and likely echo the one found on the iX3.
Also Read: BMW 3-Series EV Poses For The Camera, Might Be Exclusive To China
The minor styling changes continue out back as the 3-Series EV has a unique rear bumper which lacks exhaust tips. This, as well as “electric test vehicle” badging, leaves little question as to what kind of powertrain the prototype has.
Additional changes are limited, but the car has extended side skirts which help to hide the battery pack which is mounted beneath the floor. The production model should also have aerodynamic wheels which minimize drag and maximize efficiency.
BMW has been tight-lipped about the car, but previous reports have suggested it will be based on the long-wheelbase version of the 3-Series. This could mean the model will be available exclusively in China, but nothing is official as of yet.
The powertrain also remains a bit of a mystery, but speculation suggests it will be shared with the iX3 instead of the i4. If that’s the case, we can expect an 80 kWh lithium-ion battery that powers an electric motor which develops 282 hp (210 kW / 286 PS) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque.
This setup enables the iX3 to accelerate from 0-62 mph (0–100 km/h) in 6.8 seconds, hit a top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h) and travel up to 286 miles (460 km) on a single charge in the WLTP test cycle. Of course, the 3-Series EV will likely improve on these numbers thanks to its lower weight and better aerodynamics.
![](https://www.carscoops.com/wp-content/themes/carscoops/assets/images/icons/arrow.png"){kind=icon}