BMW i is a sub-brand of BMW founded in 2011 to design and manufacture plug-in electric vehicles. The company initially released two vehicles: the i3 all-electric car and the i8 plug-in hybrid. From 2020, BMW began electrifying models in the mainstream BMW range with the iX3, while the iX was the only purpose-built electric vehicle.
Concept versions of both the i3 and i8 were shown at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. It was also featured during a BMW World event, where the company's top automobiles were showcased. The company announced their commitment to build it by 2013. Series production of the BMW i3 for retail customers began in September of that year, and the European market launch took place in November 2013, with the first retail deliveries in Germany. The BMW i8 was launched in Germany in June 2014. The United States, Norway, Germany, and the UK are the main markets for both models. During the launch, Tesla has been on sale for just over a year in the US market.
In February 2016, BMW announced the introduction of the "iPerformance" model designation, which is being given to all BMW plug-in hybrid vehicles from July 2016. The aim is to provide a visible indicator of the transfer of technology from BMW i to the BMW core brand. , seven BMW electrified models have been released using BMW i technology, the X1 xDrive25e, X3 xDrive30e, X5 xDrive45e, 225xe Active Tourer, 320e/330e iPerformance, 520e/530e/545e iPerformance, and 745e/745Le iPerformance. The 330e and 530e are available as sedan or saloon and wagon or touring trims. The Mini Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 plug-in hybrid also shares the i technology.
Combined global sales of BMW Group electrified vehicles achieved the 500,000th unit milestone in December 2019, including BMW i, iPerformance, xDrive, and MINI brand electrified cars. Global sales of all variants of the BMW i3 reached over 165,000 units delivered at the beginning of 2020. Production of the BMW i8 ended in June 2020, with worldwide sales of more than 20,000 units.
History
Project i: BMW i3 and BMW i8 BMW's "Project i" is a program created to develop lightweight eco-friendly urban electric car concepts designed to address the mobility and sustainability needs for people who live in megacities. According to BMW, "Project i" has three phases. The Mini E demonstration was the first phase of this project, and it was followed by a similar field testing that began in January 2012 with the BMW ActiveE all-electric vehicle. The ActiveE was based on the BMW 1 Series Coupe and built considering the lessons learned from the Mini E trial. The last phase of "Project i" was the development of the i3 and i8 electric cars.
The automaker expected that its first series production all-electric drive vehicle would help it achieve an overall fleet fuel economy average of 6.63 L/100 km (35.5 mpg) by 2016, as mandated by U.S. federal regulations. BMW expected high volume sales of the i3 to allow the company to continue selling several of its high-performance cars with low fuel economy in the U.S.
In February 2011, BMW announced a new sub-brand, BMW i, to market the vehicles produced under Project i. BMW i vehicles are to be sold separately from BMW or Mini. The first two production models are the BEV (battery electric) Mega City Vehicle, now called BMW i3, and a plug-in hybrid called BMW i8, which is the production version of the Vision Efficient Dynamics concept unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show and has an all-electric range of . Production of both plug-in electric cars was scheduled to start in Leipzig in 2013.
Global i3 sales passed the 25,000 unit milestone in May 2015. Combined global sales of the BMW i brand models passed the 30,000 mark in June 2015, A total of 26,205 i3s and 4,456 i8s have been sold worldwide through June 2015. BMW i3 sales totaled 9,846 units during the first half of 2015. and the 50,000 unit milestone in January 2016. Global sales of the BMW i3 achieved the 50,000 unit milestone in July 2016.
, BMW expects a stable development in the plug-in electric market with low profits the next 5-7 years, until batteries have doubled their capacity, with the goal to expand the share of its electrified models to between 15% and 25% of sales by 2025.
By 2017, there were reports of Project i team members leaving BMW. Its CFO, Stefan Krause left to assume the global finance officer position at Faraday Future and he was joined there by Ulrich Kranz, the Project i's former manager. Krauze was also able to recruit an i-model designer, Karl Thomas Neuman while Carsten Breitfeld, the i8 development manager, left to join Byton as CEO.
Project i 2.0: BMW iX and flexible architectures In 2017, BMW cancelled development of the third distinct model for the BMW i range with the company focusing on electrifying models in the mainstream BMW range and the iNext. Referred as "Project i 2.0", the iNext was developed to address key questions for the future of motoring, with a focus on electrification, connectivity and autonomy. The BMW iX was unveiled as fully production-ready in November 2020.
The electric models of the "Power of Choice" sustainability plan are based on the modular FAAR and CLAR architectures, where up to four different powertrain variants in each of its main model lines can be built on the same production line. These models use the fifth-generation eDrive system that incorporates the electric motor, transmission and power electronics into a single compact central housing. The BMW iX3 was the first model to be electrified and was unveiled in July 2020. The BMW i4 was revealed in March 2021 and is sold in several variants at different performance levels. The China-exclusive BMW i3, based on the long-wheelbase G28 3 Series, was revealed in March 2022. The BMW i7 and BMW iX1 were unveiled in April 2022 and June 2022, respectively. The BMW i5, in both sedan and wagon body style, were announced in March 2023 and unveiled in May 2023 and February 2024, respectively. The BMW iX2 was revealed in October 2023.
In 2019, BMW contracted Contemporary Amperex Technology and Samsung SDI to deliver lithium-ion cells for $10 billion over a decade, and BMW intends to supply them with cobalt and lithium to increase transparency.
BMW presented the BMW i Hydrogen Next SUV, a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle based on the G05 X5, at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show. BMW was testing the fuel cell technology with a road test fleet of F07 5 Series Gran Turismo in 2015. Production of the hydrogen fuel cells for the iX5 Hydrogen began in September 2022, and fewer than 100 vehicles were produced as part the pilot fleet. In September 2024, BMW and Toyota announced that they are cooperating for a BMW hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle coming in 2028.
Project i 3.0: electric-only Neue Klasse platform
There had been hints to a future electric-only platform; BMW announced the Neue Klasse platform designed for electric powertrains arriving in 2025. The new platform will switch to 46mm diameter cylindrical batteries (available in two heights of 95mm and 125mm) and use an 800V electrical architecture. The battery cells themselves will continue to use NMC chemistry and will be manufactured by existing partners CATL and EVE. BMW has stated that the technologies of the Neue Klasse will be incorporated into a total of 40 new models and model updates across its product range by 2027. The variants of the Neue Klasse platform include:
NAx for smaller models with rear wheel and all wheel drive NBx for front wheel and all wheel drive NDx for premium class models with rear wheel and all wheel drive ZAx for performance models in the BMW M series
The first production model on the Neue Klasse platform, the BMW iX3 (NA5) SUV, was unveiled at IAA Mobility in Munich on 5 September 2025 and entered production from autumn 2025 at the newly constructed BMW Group Plant Debrecen in Hungary. European customer deliveries commenced in late January 2026, with US deliveries scheduled to begin in the summer of 2026. The second Neue Klasse model, the fully electric BMW i3 (NA0) sedan, had its design premiere on 18 March 2026; production at BMW Group Plant Munich is scheduled to begin in August 2026, with customer deliveries from autumn 2026. Models with NBx will be available in 2027 and 2028, including new types like BMW i1 and BMW i2.
The goal of the NMC battery line of the Neue Klasse over its predecessor is to get 30 % more range, 30 % faster charging, and cost reduction by 50 %. The BMW iX3, the first series-produced Neue Klasse model, had its world premiere in Munich on 5 September 2025. It represents the first application of BMW's sixth-generation eDrive technology in a production vehicle, featuring an 800V architecture and a peak charging rate of 400 kW. BMW describes the Neue Klasse as the company's "biggest future project," with Chairman Oliver Zipse stating that the entire BMW product range will benefit from the platform's innovations regardless of drive technology.
Stores The first BMW i store opened in June 2012 at BMW's London Park Lane showroom. The carmaker premiered an updated version of the BMW i3 concept electric car and unveiled its i Pedelec electric bicycle concept. On 15 November 2013, retail deliveries for the i3 began with a special ceremony in Munich.
Using eDrive in core-brand BMW models
On 1 December 2014, BMW announced the group is planning to offer plug-in hybrid versions of all its core-brand models using eDrive technology developed for its BMW i brand plug-in vehicles. The goal of the company is to use plug-in technology to continue offering high performance vehicles while reducing emissions below 100g/km. In February 2016, BMW announced the introduction of the "iPerformance" model designation, which will be given to all BMW plug-in hybrid vehicles from July 2016. The aim is to provide a visible indicator of the transfer of technology from BMW i to the BMW core brand.
Sales of BMW i and iPerformance designated plug-in hybrid drive models have grown strongly in Europe, accounting for 4% of all BMW vehicles sold in Western Europe in June 2016. The percentage is significantly higher in markets with strong incentives and infrastructural measures, such as Netherlands, with 14.9% of all BMW vehicles sold in June were BMW i or BMW iPerformance models, and Scandinavia with 13.2%. Combined global sales of BMW i or BMW iPerformance models totalled 23,675 units during the first half of 2016. This is the result of the expanded range of electrified models, which includes seven electrified models including plug-in hybrids. Sales of this type of vehicle during the first half of 2016 were just under 87% higher than the same period in 2015. Combined global sales of BMW i and iPerformance plug-in hybrid models achieved the 100,000 unit milestone in early November 2016, three years after the inception of the BMW i3. Three year after the market launch of the BMW i3, the BMW Group has delivered more than 100,000 purely electric-powered cars and plug-in hybrids to customers worldwide. The BMW i3 alone has reached more than 60,000 units, making it the most successful electric vehicle in the premium compact segment. The BMW i8 ranks first among electrified sports cars, with more than 10,000 delivered since the middle of 2014. Additionally, there are the approximately 30,000 iPerformance plug-in hybrids sold.
Products , around 7 BMW i models are offered, the BMW i3 all-electric car with optional range-extender (REx), and the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid. , BMW i vehicles are sold in 74 countries. In November 2016, BMW announced the company expected to deliver 60,000 of its electrified i and iPerformance models in 2016, and set a sales target of 100,000 units for 2017. BMW set the goal to expand the share of its electrified models to between 15% and 25% of sales by 2025.