An all-electric BMW 3 Series will join the model’s lineup.
The next-generation BMW 3 Series will make its debut within the next 18 months, and an all-electric variant is being developed to take on the Tesla Model 3. The popular luxury sedan will take advantage of lightweight carbon fiber and a new range of three-, four- and six-cylinder engines to stay competitive in the crowded segment, but it’s the all-electric version that will make things interesting.
BMW has spent the last few years dedicated to electrification with its i sub-brand, and much of the technology is being used across the lineup in the form of plug-in hybrid powertrains.
SEE ALSO: The Next BMW 3 Series to be Built in Mexico
To help shed weight on the next-generation BMW 3 Series, the automaker will use an all-new architecture called Cluster Architecture, or CLAR for short. The use of carbon fiber was first introduced on the new BMW 7 Series, which will now benefit the 3 Series.
Likely to sport the eDrive badge, the all-electric BMW 3 Series could be powered by a 90-kWh battery pack, making it competitive with the existing Tesla Model S. But it may not arrive until 2020, which gives Tesla a three-year head start if the American automaker can deliver on its promise on Model 3 production by 2017.
[Source: Auto Express]
