BMW future EV design language to depart from traditional styling

September 2023: Neue Klasse sedan concept previews next i3 & 3 Series

BMW has unveiled its new Neue Klasse sedan concept, revealing our clearest look yet at how the next i3 and 3 Series models will look.

Details at the link below.

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Future electric vehicles from BMW are set to look drastically different to their contemporary counterparts, as the German manufacturer moves to its Neue Klasse design language.

While Neue Klasse (NK) is technically an electrified platform, the scalable architecture's construction will allow BMW to design its cars in a different way to the current generation of electric models – all of which resemble their internal combustion engine-powered counterparts.

The first NK vehicle, codenamed NK1, is currently in development and is set to feature bespoke styling, which isn't centred around any of the current BMW model range – most likely similar to the recently revealed i Vision Circular concept.

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i Vision Circular's design could influence future NK-based BMWs

In an interview with British publication Autocar, BMW research and development chief Frank Weber said the new generation of electric platforms will reduce costs, but also allow it to experiment with new designs across its models.

“The Neue Klasse represents the beginning of a new phase of operations for BMW,” said Weber. “It’s scaled to allow us to build electric cars from a 2 Series-sized saloon up to an X7-sized SUV.

“We won’t be building separate structures. The Neue Klasse will see a big ramp-up in volume potential. We’ve learned a lot in scaling over the past two generations of platform development.

“People are expecting different aesthetics. That’s why we’ve developed a new styling direction for our electric models."

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The all-electric i4 M50 will be one of BMW's traditional-style EV models

BMW's current electric models are based on either the front-wheel drive focused FAAR architecture or the rear-wheel drive oriented CLAR platform, both of which can be adapted for all-wheel drive applications.

The German marque has previously announced a target for 50 per cent of its sales to come from electrified vehicles, either full-EV or hybrid ICEs, by 2030, with an aim of producing over 10 million EVs over the next decade.