BMW development boss calls i3 ‘an outsider,’ says its successor will not be as polarizing in design
We are one year removed from the end of production of the BMW i3. While its makers look to inevitably introduce a successor to the affordable compact EV, don’t expect anything as radical looking. As BMW looks toward its “Neue Klasse” chapter in electrification, a development boss for the company says anything remotely resembling the i3 has no place in the brand’s future.
Whether you love it or despise it, the i3 will forever be known as BMW’s first mass-produced, fully-electric model that one could argue, kicked off the brand’s current journey into its Neue Klasse of EV architecure (concepts seen below).
The i3 launched as a 2013 model during a time where the EV segment was dominated by Teslas and Nissan LEAFs. During its nine year production run, over 250,000 i3s were sold around the world, met by some as an innovative, zero-emissions hatchback and by others as a bastard child in BMW’s large family tree of sleek, premium, traditional design.
One member of BMW’s Board of Management for Development appears to side a bit with the latter group of BMW purists… or at the very least, can empathize with their disdain for the boxy design of the EV that started it all.
As BMW looks toward an all-electric future, we are being assured that the automaker’s next affordable, compact EV will not stray as far from the design language its fanbase appears to be gripping onto like a security blanket.
BMW’s next-generation “Neue Klasse” architecture, inspired by the concepts above, is expected to hit the market in 2025 as a new neue wave of vehicles are expected to go further and charge faster.
But what about a successor to the i3? BMW already launched a new i3 in China, but it’s based off the 3 Series, not the polarizing hatchback. According to a recent interview with Automobilwoche, member of the board of management for development, Frank Weber said BMW will need to deliver a consumer-friendly EV model to replace the i3… but don’t expect it to look like its predecessor at all:
A lot of people liked it, but in the eyes of others the i3 was not a real BMW. A bit of an outsider in the classroom if you will. We will not repeat that in this form.
BMW definitely needs to bring to market an affordable, compact car. We attach great importance to offering customers the best possible access to the BMW brand. That is why we are thinking very carefully about how an entry offering can be part of the Neue Klasse family.
To begin, BMW’s Neue Klasse will introduce a midsize sedan and an SUV on its new EV architecture, so don’t expect an i3 successor anytime before 2026. However, Weber did share that there are plans beyond those first two models. Perhaps we see a new i3 then. Per the interview:
Within the first two years, we will then expand the Neue Klasse by four more vehicles. You can easily imagine that a lot can be created from the middle downward to smaller vehicles as well as upward to larger vehicles.
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Tesla is starting to experience some consequences for misleading Full Self Driving customers – at least that’s the finding of one arbitration ruling that has Tesla refunding one customer $10,000 plus legal fees for failing to deliver on their promises. Find out more on today’s legally challenging episode of Quick Charge!
An arbitration “court” found that Tesla misled customers with its Full Self Driving product, and has now been forced to refund at least one person’s $10,000 payment (plus legal fees) for the not-quite autonomous driving software. France, too, is piling on claims of deceptive business practices – but there’s some good news for FSD fans! If you’re still willing to pay for it, Tesla will thrown in 0% financing on a brand new Cybertruck.
Check out the relevant links, below, to learn more.
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Toyota’s new electric SUV is a surprise hit in China. Starting at just $15,000, the Toyota bZ3X is already the top-selling joint venture brand EV.
The $15,000 Toyota bZ3X is the top-selling foreign EV
After launching the bZ3X in March, Toyota’s joint venture, GAC Toyota, claimed that orders were “so popular that the server crashed.” It apparently secured over 10,000 orders in the first hour.
In its second month on the market, the bZ3X was the top-selling foreign-owned vehicle in China, beating out the Volkswagen ID.3 and ID.4 Crozz, Nissan N7, and BMW i3.
According to the latest update, the electric SUV retained the title once again in June. Peng Baolin, General Manager of Sales at GAC-Toyota, revealed on social media that the “delivery volume of Bozhi 3X in June reached 6,030 units.”
GAC Toyota announced on Weibo that cumulative deliveries have now exceeded 20,000 units, setting a new record for the fastest joint venture electric SUV sales to achieve the feat.
The company also claimed that the bZ3X “has the highest sales of new energy vehicles” among joint venture brands right now.
The bZ3X is Toyota’s “first 100,000 yuan-level pure electric SUV.” It’s available in seven different trims, starting at 109,800 yuan, or about $15,000.
Two variants have an added LiDAR, making Toyota the first joint venture brand to offer it in China. The smart driving version starts at 149,800 yuan ($20,500). For 159,800 yuan ($22,000), you can upgrade to the range-topping “610 Max” trim.
Powered by a 67.92 kWh battery, the long-range model is rated with a CLTC range of up to 610 km (379 miles). The base “Air” trim features a 50.03 kWh battery, good for a 430 km (267 miles) range.
The bZ3X measures 4,645 mm in length, 1,885 mm in width, and 1,625 mm in height, or about the size of BYD’s popular Yuan Plus (sold overseas as the Atto 3).
Inside is a significant upgrade from most Toyota models we are used to seeing. It features a tech-focused interior with a 12.3″ infotainment screen and an 8.8″ driver display.
Toyota markets it as an affordable family SUV with “a mobile space that is as comfortable as home.” With all the seats folded, the interior offers nearly 10 feet (3 meters) of space.
It’s also powered by Momenta’s 5.0 smart driving system, offering advanced smart driving features such as Level 2 assisted driving, remote parking, and more.
Electrek’s Take
Although it may not seem like much with Chinese EV makers like Xiaomi securing nearly 300,000 orders for the YU7 SUV in an hour, the bZ3X is selling surprisingly well for a foreign brand vehicle.
Global automakers are struggling to keep pace in China with an influx of new low-cost domestic EVs and an intensifying price war. However, Japanese automakers, including Toyota, have been some of the hardest hit.
During GAC Toyota’s Tech Day event last month, the company announced partnerships with China’s leading tech companies, including Huawei, Xiaomi, and Momenta, as it seeks to regain market share.
Ahead of the event, the company posted on Weibo that “god-level allies are coming to help,” adding “car industry bigwigs are coming.
Through May, Toyota’s sales in China are up 7.7% from the same period last year, with 530,000 vehicles sold. Will Toyota continue gaining traction in the world’s largest EV market? With the bZ5 now rolling out and several new models on the way, Toyota is looking for a comeback.
Source: Sohu, GAC-Toyota
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