First sighted in a filing with the ministry of industry and information technology of China back in December, the fully-electric version of the BMW 3 Series has now been officially unveiled. The car, which debuts under an i3 eDrive35L moniker, will be assembled exclusively for the Chinese market, with sales set to begin in May.
The i3 Sedan measures in at 4,872 mm long, 1,846 mm wide and 1,481 mm tall, and has wheelbase of 2,966 mm, which makes it 163 mm longer, 19 mm wider and 39 mm taller than a regular G20 3er. Its wheelbase is also 11 cm longer than the standard car, giving it more cabin space.
The rear-wheel drive i3 Sedan is powered by a single electric motor offering 285 hp (210 kW) and 400 Nm, and performance figures include a 0-100 km/h time of 6.2 seconds. A 70.3 kWh (gross, 66.1 kWh nett) battery provides the car with a 526 km range, based on a China light-duty vehicle test cycle (CLTC) measurement.
Charging can be accomplished via AC (11 kW) or DC (95 kW max), and like the i4, the AC port is located on the front left fender, while the CCS port (AC/DC) is placed on the rear right of the car. As for charge times, with DC fast charging at the maximum rate it takes 35 minutes to get the battery from 10% to 80% state of charge.
The automaker adds that 10 minutes of DC charging at the maximum rate is good to provide 97 km of travel range. Incidentally, the 95 kW maximum DC charging rate may be unique to China – we expect it to match the i4’s 200 kW rating for international markets when it the EV is announced for those.
The automaker says that the i3 eDrive35L features its latest Gen5 eDrive powertrain components as seen on the iX3, i4 and iX, and the BMW OS8 operating system and a wide range of cutting-edge digital features and services such as high-end connectivity and the Digital Key are making their 3 Series debuts on this car.
It added that the i3 eDrive35L’s suspension system has been specifically tuned to Chinese road conditions by BMW Brilliance Automotive’s R&D division in Shenyang, which also adapted some of the car’s componentry to the requirements of the supply chain in China.
The i3 Sedan essentially debuts the G20 facelift’s styling. As with other fully electric models in the BMW range, the i3 Sedan for China receives blue highlights on its exterior such as on the outlines of the kidney grille, and on the lower trim of the rear bumper. While not stated in the press release, a number of exterior equipment options will be available for the i3 Sedan, including a choice of 18-inch and 19-inch alloy wheels in different designs.
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at this point this grille isnt so bad anymore
engine hood cover?