BMW i3 enters series production in Munich as Neue Klasse moves into its second phase
The Neue Klasse is no longer just a product roadmap. BMW has begun series production of the new all-electric i3 at its home plant in Munich, making it the second Neue Klasse model after the iX3 and the first Neue Klasse vehicle to be built in Germany.
The car is important, but the factory transformation behind it may be the bigger story. BMW is converting a plant with more than a century of history, located in the middle of Munich, into a site that will manufacture only battery-electric vehicles from 2027.
This i3 is very different from the old city EV
The revived i3 name no longer belongs to the compact electric hatchback BMW sold from 2013 to 2022. The new model is the first fully electric BMW 3 Series, initially launching as the i3 50 xDrive with an electric motor on each axle.
BMW’s previously announced provisional figures list 345 kW, or 469 hp, and 645 Nm for the dual-motor model. It uses sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology, an 800-volt electrical architecture, BMW Panoramic iDrive and the Heart of Joy central control system for vehicle dynamics.
BMW has also quoted a provisional WLTP range of up to 900 km and DC charging at up to 400 kW. Under ideal test conditions, the company says a 10-minute charging stop can add energy equivalent to as much as 400 km of WLTP range. BMW’s global media material still labels these figures provisional, and real-world range will vary with weather, speed, air-conditioning use, tyres, load and battery condition.
The harder part was rebuilding Munich without stopping it
BMW says it is investing around €650 million to transform Plant Munich for the Neue Klasse. The redevelopment includes a new body shop, reworked vehicle assembly and new logistics areas covering roughly one-third of the plant footprint.
What makes the project notable is that the plant continued producing as many as 1,000 vehicles a day during the redevelopment. Instead of shutting the factory and starting again, BMW had to introduce new manufacturing systems alongside existing production.
That is a useful reminder of what electrification means for established automakers. The challenge is not simply designing an EV platform; it is retraining people, rebuilding logistics, changing suppliers and modernising factories without disrupting the business that pays for the transition.
BMW expects another 10% reduction in Munich production costs
Plant director Peter Weber says the start of i3 production should reduce overall production costs at the Munich site by a further 10%, taking them below the level of the current vehicle generation.
That does not mean the retail price of the i3 will fall by 10%. BMW is talking about factory-level production costs, supported by the Neue Klasse vehicle architecture, simpler processes, automation, digitalisation and more efficient logistics.
For the EV industry, this is arguably as important as another range record. Electric cars become easier to scale when manufacturers can build them with fewer complications and lower cost, rather than relying on expensive technology that only works in premium, low-volume products.
Munich becomes an EV-only plant in 2027
BMW has confirmed that Plant Munich will manufacture only fully electric vehicles from 2027. The i3 is the beginning, not the end: more Neue Klasse models are planned for the site, including an i3 Touring.
That broadens the meaning of Neue Klasse. It is becoming a shared technology and manufacturing foundation encompassing Gen6 batteries, 800-volt charging, new electronic architecture, a new digital cockpit and the Heart of Joy control system.
Malaysia has already received its first taste of Neue Klasse
For Malaysian buyers, Neue Klasse is no longer a distant European story. BMW Malaysia already has a local product page for the new iX3, while a Malaysian page for the new BMW i3 is also live with a “Keep me informed” registration option.
That means the i3 has entered BMW Malaysia’s local product communication, but it does not yet amount to a formal launch. As of 14 August 2026, BMW Malaysia has not announced the i3’s official Malaysian launch date, pricing or final market specification.
The Munich production start is therefore worth following because it shows how quickly BMW is extending Neue Klasse technology from the iX3 into the more mainstream 3 Series class. If the i3 is formally introduced here later, it would become an important test of how broadly BMW can scale its new-generation EV technology in Malaysia.
The 900-km range figure and 400-kW charging capability will naturally attract attention, but BMW’s production claims may matter more in the long run. Electrification becomes sustainable for a legacy automaker only when new technology can be built efficiently at scale. Converting a century-old urban plant while keeping production running — and targeting another 10% cost reduction — shows that Neue Klasse is as much a manufacturing programme as it is a new generation of cars.
Related Reading
Follow Move Auto for more on BMW’s Neue Klasse, EV manufacturing and the technologies that may shape future BMW models in Malaysia.
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