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BMW opens US orders for 2027 3 Series as reports differ on EV pricing

BMW opened US orders for the 2027 3 Series and first electric i3; reports conflict on whether the EV carries a premium or undercuts gas.

AI News Feed · 2026-10-01 05:56

TechCrunch said the two comparable vehicles are built on different platforms. The electric i3 benefits from BMW's newest chassis and technology, while the gas-powered 3 Series uses an overhauled version of an existing platform. The publication also noted a cheaper gas-powered 3 Series trim: the 2027 BMW 330 is priced at $49,900, with the upgraded xDrive trim at $51,900. That trim has no electric equivalent yet.

Ars Technica reported that the new 3 Series is built on an all-new platform called Neue Klasse and uses BMW's sixth-generation electric powertrain, which it said the iX3 also uses. At launch, the only electric version will be the 2027 BMW i3 50 xDrive. It is all-wheel drive, with a combined 463 hp (345 kW) and 467 lb-ft (633 Nm). BMW is still completing EPA certification ahead of a showroom arrival in the first quarter of next year, but it expects 446 to 468 miles (718-753 km) of range on a single charge. Ars attributed the range to a new cylindrical cell battery pack that uses a cell-to-body approach to maximize energy density, along with the sixth-generation motors.

Ars said it was not sure whether BMW plans single-motor, rear-wheel-drive i3 variants for the U.S. market, such as the i4 eDrive40. Later next year, the i3 M60 xDrive is expected, followed by the first fully electric BMW M3, which will have four motors, one for each wheel.

TechCrunch said the gas 3 Series' range is likely similar to previous models, about 450 miles per tank in all-wheel-drive guise. The electric i3 will travel 468 miles on a full charge, and BMW says fast charging can replenish 208 miles of range in 10 minutes. TechCrunch wrote that the difference might be noticeable to extreme road warriors but would be academic for most drivers.

TechCrunch described the price comparison as significant because not every EV has a like-for-like gas-powered model. It said analysts predicted EVs would become cheaper than gas equivalents in the latter half of the 2020s, with BloombergNEF expecting that in 2026. The publication said EV prices have dropped in recent years, and that the BMW comparison shows an EV gaining the upper hand on purchase price, even though EVs have generally cost more up front while delivering lower total cost of ownership.

Editor's Summary

BMW has opened U.S. orders for the 2027 3 Series, which adds a fully electric i3 for the first time. TechCrunch reported that the i3 50 xDrive is $4,400 cheaper than the comparable gas M350 xDrive, while Ars Technica's headline said the EV carries a premium and its article did not give prices. The launch gives U.S. buyers a direct price comparison between gas and electric 3 Series models as BMW expands its EV lineup.