BMW Prepares Munich Plant For i3 Manufacturing Begin Subsequent Summer time

Automakers are likely to wind down communications because the yr attracts to a detailed. Nicely, not BMW. Shortly after disclosing plans to maneuver 3 Collection manufacturing to Dingolfing, the corporate is now sharing an replace about its electrical sibling, the i3. From January, the electrical sedan’s pre-production part will transfer from the Analysis & Innovation Centre (FIZ) to the close by Munich plant.

The historic web site now has all of the {hardware} in place to assemble prototypes of the “NA0.” Nonetheless, collection manufacturing received’t start till subsequent summer season. BMW isn’t offering agency timing, solely saying it’ll begin constructing vehicles for patrons within the second half of 2026. From what we’ve heard, the i3 sedan will start rolling off the meeting line in July. If our sources are correct, they usually normally are, European deliveries ought to begin someday subsequent fall.

To help the i3’s arrival, BMW needed to rework a couple of third of the Munich manufacturing facility in simply 18 months. That effort required dismantling a number of the outdated halls to make room for brand spanking new amenities. There’s a physique store, a logistics middle, and the meeting line itself. As if that weren’t sophisticated sufficient, collection manufacturing of present fashions continued uninterrupted. BMW builds as much as 1,000 models of the present 3 Collection and 4 Collection day by day.

Greater than a century outdated, the Munich plant is now making ready to sundown manufacturing of vehicles with combustion engines. BMW will construct solely EVs there from the tip of 2027, following its choice to relocate 3 Collection manufacturing to Dingolfing. Consequently, the “G50” would be the first 3 Collection that BMW received’t assemble in Munich.

BMW isn’t saying which different electrical vehicles will be part of the i3 sedan. Nonetheless, certainly one of them could possibly be a wagon. We haven’t seen prototypes, however the i3 Touring (“NA1”) is rumored to enter manufacturing in July 2027. It might make sense to construct the electrical long-roof mannequin alongside its sedan counterpart.

In an surprising coincidence, the i3 Touring would possibly find yourself being the one 3 Collection wagon. Firm insiders declare there received’t be a combustion-engined 3 Collection Touring anymore. Nonetheless, nothing is official at this level, so take the gossip with the proverbial pinch of salt. We truthfully can’t think about BMW discontinuing the extra sensible 3er, and hopefully, the “G51” will come to fruition later this decade.

Within the meantime, we’ve heard the combustion-engined sedan will enter manufacturing in November 2026, just a few months after the i3. Each sedans are getting the M remedy as BMW goals to cater to each camps. Nonetheless, we’ve beforehand reported on the probability that the inline-six gasoline mannequin might drop each the handbook gearbox and rear-wheel drive. As an alternative, the M3 “G84” is predicted to return completely with an computerized transmission and xDrive. The electrical M3 “ZA0” might launch with rear-wheel drive and add a entrance motor later in its life cycle for an all-paw setup.