BMW i3 Touring: the electric estate caught mid-testing

Barely launched in its saloon version, the new electric BMW i3 is already preparing its Touring derivative. The future estate, still concealed under thick camouflage, has just been caught in the middle of a testing campaign, a sign that its development is well advanced. Here is what we already know about this zero-emission family car, from its confirmed technical specifications to its production timetable, and why it could reshuffle the deck of the premium electric estate.

Why an electric estate caught ahead of time?

This cascade launch is no accident. In Europe, the estate ("Touring" in BMW nomenclature) remains a strategic body style, for families as well as for fleets. Offering the i3 as an estate allows the brand to attack a segment where the electric offering remains scarce, while retaining a clientele historically attached to this silhouette.

Beware of confusion, however. Despite its name, the new i3 is not a replacement for the old electric city car of the same name. This time it is a fully electric alternative to the 3 Series, the second production car in the "Neue Klasse" family. The Touring caught in testing will logically take over the technical base of the saloon.

• An estate derivative of the new electric i3, and not of the former i3 city car.
• A prototype still camouflaged, filmed in the middle of a testing session.
• A launch a few months after the saloon, according to a tight schedule.
• A clear target: families and fleets attached to the estate format.

What do we know about the battery and range?

The i3 Touring will be based on the Neue Klasse platform, which introduces sixth-generation cylindrical cell technology. The stated objective: a long range combined with high efficiency, from a very energy-dense NMC battery of 108.7 kWh usable.

The standout figure is the announced range: up to 900 km on the WLTP cycle. The sixth generation of BMW eDrive technology comprises a brand-new powertrain, a new high-voltage battery concept and an 800-volt architecture, the foundation of charging performance unprecedented for the brand.

• NMC battery of 108.7 kWh usable, 6th-generation cylindrical cells.
• Range up to 900 km (WLTP).
• 800-volt architecture.
• Charging supported up to 400 kW.

Is charging really a selling point?

This may well be the i3's real strength, and therefore the future Touring's. On a fast DC charger, the battery can recover energy for up to 400 km of range (WLTP) in just ten minutes. Enough to cut down on stops during long journeys, precisely where a family estate finds its purpose.

The i3 also introduces bidirectional charging. In practical terms, the car can turn into a battery on wheels, serving as a mobile energy source or as flexible storage at home. A use that goes beyond mere mobility and places the vehicle at the heart of a domestic energy ecosystem.

1. Up to 400 km of WLTP range recovered in 10 minutes at a DC charger.
2. 800-volt architecture to handle high power levels.
3. Bidirectional charging: the i3 becomes a power bank on wheels.
4. The ability to power the home or store energy.

What performance at launch?

At launch, the range will open with the i3 50 xDrive, a dual-motor version delivering 469 ch and 645 Nm. The 0 to 100 km/h is dispatched in 4.7 seconds, a figure worthy of a sporty saloon even though this is a family car.

The all-wheel drive has been designed for efficiency: it favours the rear motor in everyday use and only engages the front motor when there is a genuine need for traction or performance. A logic that preserves range without sacrificing the dynamism dear to the brand.

What technology on board?

The cabin breaks with the usual conventions. The traditional dashboard disappears in favour of a wide projection onto the base of the windscreen, complemented by a central 17.9-inch touchscreen and a 3D head-up display available as an option.

The i3 also relies on the Amazon Alexa voice assistant, augmented reality navigation overlaying directions onto the real world and highly customisable display settings. The Touring should inherit the whole package, with the added bonus of the modularity and loading volume specific to the estate.

• Projection onto the base of the windscreen in place of the classic instrument cluster.
• Central 17.9-inch touchscreen.
• 3D head-up display as an option.
• Amazon Alexa voice assistant and augmented reality navigation.

Against what premium competition?

The i3 Touring will target two rivals depending on the body style. On the estate side, the most direct opponent is the Audi A6 Avant e-tron, which shares the same technical logic: 800-volt architecture, large battery and fast charging. On the saloon side, the positioning is crystal clear: the new i3 is here to take on the Tesla Model 3.

BMW i3 (base of the Touring)

• Battery: 108.7 kWh usable (NMC, 6th-generation cylindrical cells).
• Range: up to 900 km WLTP.
• Power: 469 ch and 645 Nm (i3 50 xDrive).
• 0-100 km/h: 4.7 s.
• Charging: up to 400 kW, 400 km WLTP in 10 minutes.
• Architecture: 800 volts, rear-biased all-wheel drive.

Audi A6 Avant e-tron (estate rival)

• Body style: premium estate, direct competitor to the Touring.
• Architecture: 800-volt platform, large battery, fast charging.
• Range, power and 0-100 km/h: to be confirmed on the official Audi spec sheet.
• DC charging peak and price: to be confirmed on the official Audi spec sheet.

Tesla Model 3 (saloon benchmark)

• Positioning: the benchmark of the electric saloon segment.
• Network: access to the Supercharger.
• Range, power and 0-100 km/h: to be confirmed on the official Tesla spec sheet.
• Price: to be confirmed on the official Tesla spec sheet.

The precise figures of the two rivals remain to be validated on their respective official spec sheets. On paper, the i3 puts forward two strong and documented arguments: an announced range of up to 900 km and charging that can reach 400 kW, two areas where it clearly aims for the top tier.

When and at what price?

The new BMW i3 will be produced from August 2026 at the BMW Group plant in Munich, for the first saloon deliveries in autumn 2026. The Touring will follow a few months later, which explains why it is still driving around camouflaged today.

The official price has not yet been announced. It will logically sit above the current 3 Series, with the traditional premium specific to the estate body style. The figures specific to the Touring (exact range, boot volume) are not settled either: the estate derivative is at the testing stage.

The verdict

Based on the confirmed data, the i3 Touring has all the makings of a benchmark electric family car: an announced range of up to 900 km, charging that can recover 400 km in ten minutes, an 800-volt architecture and a cabin resolutely turned towards the future. All in an estate format that is still rare in electric form, facing an Audi A6 Avant e-tron and a Tesla Model 3 that still need to be separated on the figures.

Our position is clear: if BMW confirms these values on the estate version, the i3 Touring could become one of the few true premium electric estates capable of replacing a combustion model without compromise, provided the price stays within the segment's bounds.

Frequently asked questions

Is the i3 Touring the old small i3?

No. Despite its name, it is not a replacement for the old electric city car, but an estate derivative of a saloon conceived as a fully electric alternative to the 3 Series.

What range for the new BMW i3?

Up to 900 km on the WLTP cycle, from an NMC battery of 108.7 kWh usable.

When will the BMW i3 Touring be released?

Production of the saloon begins in August 2026 in Munich, with deliveries in autumn 2026. The Touring estate, still in camouflaged testing, will follow a few months later.

How long to recharge the BMW i3?

At a fast charger, the i3 can recover energy for up to 400 km of WLTP range in ten minutes, thanks to charging supported up to 400 kW and an 800-volt architecture.

What power does the launch version announce?

The launch i3 50 xDrive delivers 469 ch and 645 Nm, with a 0 to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds and rear-biased all-wheel drive.

In summary

The BMW i3 Touring caught in testing confirms the brand's ambition: to offer an estate derivative of its new Neue Klasse electric saloon, boasting a range of up to 900 km, 400 kW charging and a redesigned cabin. The price and the figures specific to the estate remain to be confirmed, but the potential is real against the premium rivals.

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