BMW – Six electric vehicles based on the Neue Klasse platform

The first models based on the Neue Klasse will be a sedan and a mid-size crossover.

When BMW launched the i3 a decade ago, the compact BEV represented a big change for the manufacturer. The i3 featured a new powertrain concept, new materials, new manufacturing and a new design based on sustainability. No competitor had anything like it.

The Neue Klasse represents the biggest investment in BMW's history as the company will once again launch an all-electric car that is strikingly different from the rest of the automotive world. For Bavarians, the Neue Klasse embodies the transition to electric and digital mobility. A dedicated 800 volt architecture was developed for this purpose.

At the heart of the system is a high-voltage battery that does not have a modular design. Instead of being mounted on a base plate, the battery pack is part of the vehicle's body structure to reduce weight and assembly costs. Also, BMW will switch from prismatic to cylindrical cells and benefit from better packaging, lower overall height and higher energy density.

The sixth generation of BMW eDrive will debut in the Neue Klasse models. The new system is lighter, more compact and more than 40 percent more cost-effective than the eDrive version used today. Its power consumption is predicted to be up to 25 percent lower than today's version. The electrical architecture is designed to cover the entire portfolio of the car manufacturer.

Neue Klasse technology will underpin six models before the end of the decade. The iX3 should appear at the end of 2025 and will be produced at BMW's new plant in Hungary, while the extended version will be made in China. In 2026, BMW will begin production of the 3-series sedan at its Munich plant.

Later, production will begin in Mexico and China. The iX4 coupe sedan is expected in the same year, and its station wagon variant should appear in 2027. The sixth planned model is a compact crossover, likely to replace the iX1.

With the arrival of the Neue Klasse, BMW will introduce a new nomenclature to avoid customer confusion during the transition to the electric era. The 3 Series full-size electric sedan will be badged as the i320 or i330 depending on spec, while the 3 Series cars will be badged as the 320 and 330, dropping the 'i' for the petrol and the 'd' for the diesel versions.