BMW has debuted its new i3 model with a record-breaking battery range of 900km, as it looks to build on the success of its other electric vehicles.
The iconic German brand has confirmed the introduction of the BMW i3, built on the brand's eDrive technology with 800-volt architecture.
The i3 will have a staggering range of up to 900km - or 559.2 miles - on a single charge, with BMW saying it "raises the benchmark for all-electric range".
BMW added that the i3 would be the second model built on its "Neue Klasse" platform, describing it as a "technological quantum leap into a new era".
It will launch with the 50 xDrive model variant, which includes two electric motors driving the front and rear axles, outputting 469hp and 645 Nm of torque.
Drivers interested in the i3 will be able to charge the electric vehicle at speeds of up to 300 kW at an ultra-rapid 800-volt DC charging station.
Based on the new technology included in the electric vehicle, motorists could add 400km (248 miles) of battery range in just 10 minutes.
BMW said this was down to the sixth-generation eDrive technology, combining electric motors, 800-volt technology and new high-voltage batteries.
The BMW i3 has the longest battery range of any electric vehicle currently on the market
|BMW
Compared to the previous fifth-generation eDrive, range and charging speeds are increased by an impressive 30 per cent.
The i3 will be produced at Plant Munich in Germany, which has seen "significant modernisation" over the last four years to adjust to electrification.
Plant Munich will begin manufacturing the BMW i3 in August 2026, with the brand estimating that UK customer deliveries will begin in the autumn.
Pricing details and detailed model specifications will be confirmed by BMW over the coming months.
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The BMW i3 is expected to have a battery range of 900km
|BMW
In 2027, BMW will move all vehicle production at Plant Munich exclusively to electric vehicles as part of the Neue Klasse programme.
All future sixth-generation technology electric vehicles will have bidirectional charging functionality.
This allows the energy stored in the battery to be used for driving, but also as a mobile power bank to provide electricity directly from the high-voltage battery.
BMW confirmed that it was relying on the Neue Klasse range to accelerate its plans in China after falling behind other competitors.
Customer deliveries in the UK are expected to begin later this year
|BMW
Jochen Goller, sales chief of BMW, said: "Of course, we want to grow again in China with the 'Neue Klasse'.
"What we're seeing is, on the one hand, stabilisation, and in some cases even a price increase, which is why we assume that the trend has now taken hold."
The new iX3 electric SUV will be released in China later this year after being displayed at the Beijing car show in April.