BMW's electric i3 Touring wagon has been caught on camera for the first time, revealing a sleek design that cleverly disguises its practical shape.
Fresh spy shots give us our first proper look at the longroof companion to the i3 sedan, showing that practicality won't come at the expense of style.
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BMW briefly teased the wagon during the i3 sedan's reveal earlier this year, but these prototype images offer a much clearer picture.
Even beneath camouflage, the Touring appears sharp and modern, with crisp surfacing, flush door handles, and proportions more athletic than today's petrol-powered 3-Series Touring.
Design and Platform
The shoulder line rises from around the rear door toward the D-pillar, visually shrinking the rear side windows and creating the impression of a lower, sleeker roof.
In reality, the roof remains relatively flat, which should help preserve cargo space.
Like the i3 sedan, the Touring sits on BMW's dedicated Neue Klasse electric architecture. A combustion-powered Touring is also in development, riding on an updated CLAR platform.
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Both are expected to wear almost identical exterior styling and get BMW's new Panoramic iDrive cabin with a wide digital display along the windshield base.
Powertrain and Range
The i3 Touring will share the sedan's powertrain options. The only confirmed version so far is the dual-motor i3 50 xDrive, producing 463 hp.
An i3 40 with a single 316 hp rear motor should follow, based on the related iX3 SUV.
BMW's sixth-generation eDrive technology, 800-volt architecture, new cylindrical battery cells, and a 108.7 kWh battery pack enable impressive range.
The sedan achieves 559 miles WLTP; the Touring's extra size and weight will likely shave a few miles, but it should still be the longest-legged electric wagon around.
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An M Performance model is inevitable, and a four-motor electric M3 Touring could eventually join the lineup.
