Images and information sourced from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
China is the largest market for automobiles in the world. As such, automakers want to offer a wide range of vehicles from the region. Occasionally, unexpected new-vehicle reveals can be made by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. This is the case with the BMW i3 sedan.
We can help you if you are a little confused. This appears to be a modified BMW 3 Series, and it is not the i3 hatchback that we know. Photos clearly show the i3 badge at the rear and eDrive 35L branding. What does this all mean?
China’s MIIT website has photos as well as statistics, including 250 kilowatts of power. This car has 335 horsepower and is also long-wheelbase, which likely explains the 35L designation. eDrive is almost certain to denote this model as rear-wheel driven only, rather than all-wheel drive. The i3 badge could indicate that the i3 hatchback is going extinct. It could also coexist with the small hatchback model. This bit is still unclear.
It is clear that this is how the facelifted 3 Series will likely look. The solid grille is not included. This long-wheelbase model seems to be destined for China only, but spy photos of electrified 3 Series test cars indicate that it will eventually make its way to other markets. It is not clear if it will retain the i3 branding beyond China, but it makes sense given BMW’s current strategy for naming electric vehicles. The whole situation is, to be honest, a little awkward considering that BMW already has an i3 which is very distinct from this one.