BMW Recommits To A 2028 Entry-Level EV. Here’s What We Know About The Rear-Wheel-Drive i1 Hatch
by Horatiu Boeriu · BMWBLOGArticle Summary
- Five versions are expected, from the rear-drive i1 20 up to a dual-motor i1 M50 xDrive.
- Range should fall below the i3 40 xDrive’s 710 km (441 miles) WLTP, and charging could peak closer to 300 kW than 400 kW.
- Production is expected to start in spring 2028, and a US version is rumored but unconfirmed.
BMW is sticking to its plan for a smaller, cheaper Neue Klasse EV in 2028. On today’s third-quarter earnings call, CEO Milan Nedeljković said the company will add “another fully electric BMW model in 2028” to the high-volume entry premium segment, repeating what BMW announced at its Capital Market Day in September.
We believe that the car is the compact known internally as NB0, and it will wear the BMW i1 badge. Expect a five-door hatchback aimed mainly at Europe and, more interesting to us, a return to rear-wheel drive for BMW’s entry-level car.
Which BMW i1 Versions Are Expected At Launch?
BMW hasn’t confirmed any variants, but five are expected, according to insiders:
- i1 20
- i1 30
- i1 30 xDrive
- i1 40
- i1 M50 xDrive
The 30 xDrive and M50 xDrive are the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive models. The M50 xDrive would be an M Performance car rather than a full M model, and the smallest BMW yet to wear an electric M Performance badge.
Neue Klasse Hardware Brings Back Rear-Wheel Drive
The i1 would likely share its 800-volt architecture and sixth-generation eDrive with the iX3 and i3, so the single-motor versions drive the rear wheels and the xDrive models add a front motor. The 1 Series dropped rear-wheel drive with the F40, and the current F70 is front-drive too. With the F70 expected to stay in production into the early 2030s, BMW will sell both side by side.
A smaller car means a smaller battery, so the i1 might not match the i3. The i3 50 xDrive’s 108.7-kWh pack is rated at up to 912 km (567 miles) WLTP, and BMW estimates 440 miles on the EPA cycle. The entry-level i3 40 xDrive, with 82.8 kWh, is rated at 710 km (441 miles) WLTP. Expect the i1 to land below that.
Expect The i1 M50 xDrive To Sit Below The i3 M60
BMW hasn’t released i1 output figures or confirmed the i3 M60 xDrive’s, but the iX3 M60 xDrive makes 450 kW (603 hp), and the sedan is expected to share its hardware. M50 sits below M60 in BMW’s naming, so the i1’s flagship should come in under that. A small hatch doesn’t need 600 hp to be properly quick.
Current Neue Klasse models start at 300kW charging capabilities and quickly climb at 400 and even 460 kW for the iX5. The entry-level i3 40 xDrive tops out at 300 kW, while the larger-battery i3 50 xDrive charges at up to 400 kW and the upcoming i3 M60 is expected to match it. With a pack smaller than the entry-level i3’s, the i1 could end up closer to 300 kW, but that’s just our guess for now.
No Spy Photos Yet, But The Cabin Should Look Familiar
No i1 prototypes have been photographed, so the exterior is unknown beyond the expected hatchback shape. Inside, expect the Neue Klasse setup: Panoramic iDrive with the Panoramic Vision display along the base of the windshield, a central touchscreen and BMW Operating System X.
When Does Production Start, And Is The i1 Coming To The US?
Production is expected to start in spring 2028. BMW hasn’t named a plant or a price, but the i1 should slot between the electric MINI Cooper and the iX1 and iX2, with the new Audi A2 among its rivals.
There are rumors of a US version, but we couldn’t confirm them, and it’s probably too early for BMW to have decided. If anything from this family crosses the Atlantic, the compact electric Gran Coupe expected to follow it, known as NB8 and likely called i2, looks like the better bet.
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