BMW’s first electric 3 Series will cost $4,400 less in the US than its most powerful petrol sibling. The 2027 i3 50 xDrive starts at $61,500 and the petrol M350 xDrive at $65,900, BMW said as it opened US orders. Both prices exclude a $1,350 destination charge.
BMW now sells the eighth-generation 3 Series with either an electric or a petrol drivetrain. TechCrunch put the gap at 6.7% in the electric car’s favour.
The full price list
The four-cylinder petrol 330 is the cheapest way into the range, at $49,900. The all-wheel-drive 330 xDrive costs $51,900. That makes the electric i3 $11,600 dearer than the entry model, which has no electric equivalent yet.
All four launch models reach US showrooms in the first quarter of 2027. An i3 M60 xDrive will follow later in 2027, with its price due closer to launch.
How the two flagships compare
The i3 50 xDrive uses two electric motors for a combined 463hp and 476lb-ft of torque. It reaches 60mph in 4.5 seconds, according to BMW. The M350 xDrive has a 3.0-litre six-cylinder mild hybrid engine making 437hp. It gets to 60mph in 3.9 seconds.
BMW estimates the i3’s range at 446 to 468 miles (718 to 753km), based on preliminary tests using EPA procedures. At a 400kW charger, it can add 191 to 208 miles in 10 minutes, the company said.
The electric car is the first 3 Series built on BMW’s Neue Klasse architecture. It comes from the company’s Munich plant. The petrol models use an upgraded body and chassis and will be built in Dingolfing from November. BMW’s maps can plan charging stops that favour IONNA’s network, its preferred US fast-charging partner.
A price test for EVs
Not every EV has a like-for-like petrol model, which makes price comparisons hard, TechCrunch noted. US EV prices rose in July for the first time this year, as discounts shrank.
BMW has already sold two million electric cars. Jochen Goller, the board member responsible for sales, explained why the i3 matters.
“As a fully electric model in a high-volume segment, the BMW i3 is a hugely significant car for the BMW Group,” he said.
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