- BMW is reportedly planning a dedicated electric 1 Series on the Neue Klasse platform.
- The i1 could keep proper hatchback proportions, rear-wheel drive, and distinct styling.
- Smaller batteries and dialed-back specs could make it BMW’s cheapest Neue Klasse EV.
BMW has repurposed the i3 nameplate to designate an electric sedan, not the compact hatchback it initially stood for. But now, a small electric hatchback similar to the original i3 is reportedly in the pipeline, and even though you haven’t heard much about it, BMW sees it as one of its most important models.
The current 1 Series hatchback is due for replacement in 2028. It’s currently only available with combustion engines, but the next-generation model will actually be two different vehicles. One will be a direct successor to today’s F70 model, while the other will be a visually similar but mechanically distinct dedicated EV built on the Neue Klasse platform.
According to Autocar, the electric 1 Series, which could be called the i1, won’t adopt the original i3’s tall people carrier-like look. It will be a true low-to-the-ground hatchback, so it won’t feel like a crossover around the corners. BMW has made it clear on several occasions that, at least in Europe, offering a 1 Series makes a lot of sense, so having a pure electric model in that same space makes sense.
With over 100,000 sales in 2025, the 1 Series remains popular, with certain European markets, such as Italy and France, helping boost its popularity.
However, don’t expect it to look like a smaller i3 with a chopped off trunk. Just like BMW made the i3 and iX3 look quite distinct, the i1 will also get its own unique design. It will follow the principles of the new Neue Klasse design, but it will have a different front end with a different grille design, and the surface treatment and details around the body will also be unique to it.
The arrival of the i1 could also bring back the three-door body style, which was discontinued when the third-generation 1 Series debuted in 2020.
It would share its underpinnings with the i3, but some of the specs would be dialed back to allow BMW to sell it cheaper. It likely won’t get the large 108.7-kilowatt-hour battery, which gives the i3 up to 559 miles (900 km) of WLTP range, and it could get a pack closer in size to the standard-range iX3.
The i1 could be more important than another long-range flagship SUV. If BMW can put its Neue Klasse tech, rear-wheel drive, and proper hatchback proportions into something close to today’s 1 Series price point, it could have one of the most convincing entry-level premium EVs in Europe.