BMW Adds Cheaper i3 40 xDrive In Europe With Smaller Pack, Still Long On Range

BMW has widened the i3 electric sedan family with a more affordable dual-motor variant aimed at European buyers, and signs point to it reaching American showrooms down the road. The new i3 40 xDrive sits beneath the range-topping i3 50 xDrive, trading some output and battery capacity for a friendlier sticker.

Underneath, the 40 xDrive carries an 82.8-kilowatt-hour pack that accepts DC charging at up to 300 kilowatts. That is roughly 26 kWh less capacity and a 100-kW lower peak charging rate than the flagship version, yet the numbers remain strong: BMW quotes a 10-to-80% top-up in 21 minutes and about 209 miles (337 km) of range added in a ten-minute stop. On Europe’s WLTP cycle, a full charge is rated at 441 miles (710 km); the EPA figure for the U.S. is still pending, though an estimated 321 miles (517 km) is the working expectation — well short of the top model, but ample for commutes and weekend trips.

All-wheel drive comes as standard, signaled by the xDrive badge, with the pair of motors producing 369 horsepower and 384 pound-feet (520 Nm) of torque. That is 94 hp and 92 lb-ft below the 50 xDrive, and BMW claims a 0-to-62 mph run of 5.4 seconds with top speed electronically capped at 124 mph (200 km/h). Dropping the larger battery also trims 254 pounds (115 kg), bringing curb weight to 4,607 lbs (2,090 kg) — a lighter figure that should pay dividends in how the car feels to drive even with less power on tap.

Pricing is the headline attraction. German buyers can order the entry i3 from €59,900, a €6,000 saving versus its more powerful sibling. U.S. pricing has not been announced, but it should undercut the $62,850 starting point of the 2027 i3 50 xDrive. An even more accessible version, the single-motor i3 40 eDrive, is expected to arrive later next year with the same 82.8-kWh battery.