BMW of North America will start taking reservations for the new i3 sedan on September 29 at 6:01 PM Eastern, a week ahead of the previously expected early-October window. Registered users got the email today. No price was attached.
That timing gap between announcement and actual pricing is becoming a familiar BMW move. When the iX3 SUV went through this same dance earlier this year, the company opened reservations on May 6 and dropped the $61,500 sticker the following day. Expect a similar cadence here, with the i3’s number landing right around September 29.
The spec sheet is not a mystery. The i3 50 xDrive, the only variant coming to the US at launch, runs two motors producing 463 horsepower, draws from a 108.7-kWh battery, and claims up to 440 miles of EPA-estimated range. DC fast charging peaks at 400 kW through a native NACS port, meaning Tesla Supercharger access without an adapter.
A lower-powered i3 40 xDrive and a hotter i3 M60 xDrive will follow, though BMW hasn’t said when.
What BMW hasn’t said yet is the one thing that will determine whether this car moves metal or just collects deposits. The iX3 SUV, which shares the same Neue Klasse platform, the same powertrain, and nearly the same range, starts at $61,500 before the $1,350 destination charge. Sedans historically undercut their crossover siblings by a few thousand dollars, which would put the i3 somewhere south of $60,000.
That number has to do a lot of work. A Tesla Model 3 Premium rear-drive sits around $42,500. The new Mercedes CLA 250+ with EQ Technology opens at $47,250 and carries a 374-mile EPA rating.
BMW is bringing more range and faster charging to the fight, but it is also asking buyers to pay a premium that neither competitor demands.
The reservation process should mirror the iX3 template: $1,000 deposit through the online configurator, applied to the dealer of the buyer’s choosing. This is not a delivery commitment. Munich’s plant has been building European-spec i3 sedans since August, but US production on the same line doesn’t begin until November.
If the timeline tracks with the iX3’s five-month reservation-to-delivery window, the first American i3 sedans would land in the first quarter of 2027.
BMW moved this date up for a reason. The Neue Klasse rollout has been careful, almost cautious, with the iX3 serving as the platform’s proof of concept in the US market. Pulling the i3 reservation forward suggests confidence in the SUV’s early reception, or urgency about getting ahead of a competitive calendar that is filling up fast.
The sedan is where BMW built its reputation. The 3 Series has been the brand’s backbone for five decades. Wrapping that legacy in a new electric architecture, with a price tag that likely sits $15,000 or more above the Model 3, is a bet that the BMW badge and 440 miles of range can justify the gap.
September 29 will tell us the price. The months after will tell us if anyone’s willing to pay it.
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