A Cheap BMW Neue Klasse EV Is Coming In 2028

The entry-level electric car is part of BMW’s turnaround plan, which also includes a big gas SUV for the U.S.

BMW i3 First Edition

Photo by: BMW

Iulian Dnistran

By: Iulian Dnistran

Oct 1, at 8:49am ET

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BMW confirmed it will reveal a mass-market EV based on the Neue Klasse platform.
The car doesn’t have a name yet, but it’s likely going to be called the i1.
The entry-level EV is part of BMW’s plan to boost margins, which includes a high-end gas SUV for the American market.

BMW poured billions of dollars into the development of its Neue Klasse platform, and it’s not going to stop with just two models. After the iX3 and i3, an entry-level Neue Klasse EV is coming in 2028, the company confirmed yesterday.

The mass-market electric car, which is expected to be a compact hatchback wearing the i1 badge, will debut in Europe, where it will slot between the battery-powered Mini Cooper and the upcoming BMW iX1 crossover.

The upcoming i1 (name unconfirmed) is expected to borrow the same design language as the i3 pictured here.

Photo by: BMW

Based on the same underpinnings as the long-range i3, the new i1 will probably stick to a rear-wheel-drive setup, but dual-motor configurations are also possible. That’s the same as the first two generations of the 1 Series. Speaking of the 1 Series, the latest generation, which is front-wheel drive, will reportedly stay in production until early next decade, so BMW will have two entry-level offerings with different powertrains.

The new electric five-door hatchback is known internally as the “NB0,” according to insiders quoted by BMW Blog. Despite being similar in size to the 1 Series, the two cars will be completely different under the skin. Technical specifications are nowhere to be found right now, but logic dictates that the upcoming i1 will have a smaller-capacity battery than the recently introduced i3.

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The electric sedan is available with a 108.7- or an 82.8-kilowatt-hour battery, but with a shorter wheelbase, the i1 will probably have less space for a huge battery. But a smaller body and a smaller battery have a big upside: lower weight. Even with less energy capacity, the i1 should have enough usable range for daily driving.

Charging performance is also expected to take a hit compared to the i3, which can accept 300 or 400 kilowatts, depending on the battery size. That’s what usually happens with entry-level models, but we’ll know for sure when the official specs are released.

As much as I’d love to see an electric BMW i1 in the United States, that’s probably never going to happen. The German automaker was clear that the new mass-market EV is designed for the European market, which can’t get enough of affordable electric hatchbacks right now.

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For America, BMW is studying a high-end SUV that’s expected to sit above the X7 and be powered by gas engines. Both the flagship SUV and the entry-level EV are part of the company’s plan to boost its margins to as much as 10% by early next decade.

But launching two new cars isn’t enough, so BMW is also making workforce cuts and plans to use more artificial intelligence across all areas of the company to boost efficiency.