BMW Moves Up i3 Ordering as Interest Surges Ahead of Schedule

BMW has brought the electric i3 to market in Europe sooner than expected after strong customer interest encouraged the company to open orders early. At the moment, the lineup is limited to a First Edition aimed at early buyers, with broader availability planned for later in the year.

Even with the restricted launch, there is still some personalization available. Customers can pick from six body colors, including the distinctive M Le Castellet Blue shown in official images, and choose between four wheel designs in 19- or 20-inch formats. The cabin can also be tailored, with BMW offering the standard black M interior or alternate upholstery choices, including a lighter white-themed option.

In Germany, the i3 50 xDrive First Edition is priced at €75,340 and comes generously equipped. Standard highlights include the M Sport Package, an illuminated kidney grille, heated power-adjustable front seats, a heated steering wheel, tinted rear glass, and three-zone automatic climate control. BMW also fits an electric tailgate, a Harman Kardon audio system, and 22-kW AC charging capability, which is faster than the usual 11-kW setup.

Available Options for the First Edition

Although special editions often keep extras to a minimum, this one still allows a few upgrades. Buyers can add heated rear seats, a fixed panoramic glass roof, a white steering wheel for the white interior, and an electrically folding tow hitch. BMW also offers a range of driver-assistance and safety technologies, including Highway & City Assistant to help ease the strain of everyday driving.

The regular i3 will arrive this fall and will sit below the First Edition in price, starting at €65,900 in Germany. That positions it under the similarly sized iX3 50 xDrive, which begins at €74,700. BMW is expected to broaden the electric lineup further with variants such as the i3 Touring, and a coupe-style iX4 also appears likely.

American buyers will need patience, since the i3 is not due in the U.S. until next year. By then, BMW will probably have added more versions to the range, including a more affordable model that may use a single rear motor. A similar rear-wheel-drive, single-motor setup already exists in Europe on the iX3 40 with a smaller battery.

BMW says production will still begin in August as originally planned, so the schedule has not changed at the factory level. The difference is that customers can place their orders sooner, and European deliveries are expected to start in the fall shortly after assembly begins in Munich.