BMW i3 UK prices from £47,925, just £2,950 above the petrol 320
The electric 3 Series now starts at £47,925, just £2,950 above the petrol BMW 320, with up to 566 miles of range on the top model. Here are the prices, the Tesla Model 3 and Mercedes rivals, company car tax and delivery dates.
Quick answers
- The BMW i3 40 xDrive starts at £47,925 on the road, only £2,950 more than the petrol BMW 320 at £44,975.
- The i3 50 xDrive costs from £53,005 and BMW quotes up to 566 miles of WLTP range and up to 400kW DC charging; the First Edition is £57,905.
- The cheaper i3 40 xDrive has an 82.8kWh battery and a WLTP range of 441 miles, according to EV Database.
- First UK i3 deliveries are due in autumn 2026, and the petrol 3 Series follows in January 2027.
- Zero-emission company cars pay 4% benefit in kind in 2026/27, rising to 5% from April 2027, 7% in 2028/29 and 9% in 2029/30, against up to 37% on a petrol saloon.
BMW’s electric 3 Series, the i3, now starts at £47,925 in the UK, only £2,950 more than the petrol BMW 320 at £44,975. The top i3 50 xDrive costs from £53,005 and BMW says it can cover up to 566 miles on the WLTP test, more than any rival named below. For UK drivers, the small gap to petrol is the story, particularly if the car comes through a company.
electrive also reports that orders have opened for a four-wheel-drive iX3 40 xDrive, widening the Neue Klasse electric range, which covers the i3 saloon and the iX3 SUV.
What changed this month?
BMW has now priced the petrol 3 Series alongside the electric car, which makes the comparison direct. The i3 40 xDrive is the new entry point and the petrol BMW 320 is £2,950 cheaper, according to PistonHeads. The i3 range was announced with two electric models, the 40 xDrive and 50 xDrive, and a more powerful M60 xDrive will join later (BMW UK PressClub).
On the SUV side, electrive reports that the iX3 40 xDrive is open for orders with 275kW, with a starting price of €65,900 in Europe (electrive). We have not found a UK price for it. The rear-wheel-drive iX3 40 is already on sale from £53,250, with a claimed 395 miles, 320hp and charging up to 300kW (BMW UK PressClub).
BMW i3 and iX3 UK prices at a glance
| Model | UK price (on the road) | Range (WLTP) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW i3 40 xDrive | £47,925 | 441 miles | 82.8kWh battery, up to 300kW charging |
| BMW i3 50 xDrive | £53,005 | Up to 566 miles | 108.7kWh battery, up to 400kW charging |
| BMW i3 50 xDrive First Edition | £57,905 | Up to 566 miles | Available to order |
| BMW 320 (petrol) | £44,975 | Not applicable | 2.0-litre, 211hp, rear-wheel drive |
| BMW iX3 40 | £53,250 | Up to 395 miles | Rear-wheel drive, 320hp |
Sources: BMW UK PressClub, PistonHeads, Top Gear, EV Database, Motoring Research. We have left out the iX3 50 xDrive because we could not confirm its current UK price. Sources also differ on the i3 50 xDrive, with one report citing £53,425, so confirm with BMW or a dealer. Prices are before any grant: at these prices the i3 sits above the £37,000 list-price ceiling, so the Electric Car Grant does not apply.
How does the i3 compare with the Tesla Model 3 and Mercedes C-Class Electric?
On range and charging, the i3 leads. Autocar puts the i3 50 xDrive’s battery at 108.7kWh, and Electrifying’s comparison puts the Mercedes C-Class Electric at £57,995, with the Tesla Model 3 the cheapest of the three (Electrifying).
| Car | UK price | WLTP range |
|---|---|---|
| BMW i3 50 xDrive | £53,005 | Up to 566 miles |
| Mercedes C-Class Electric | From £57,995 | Up to 452 miles (C400 4Matic) |
| Tesla Model 3 Premium Long Range RWD | £44,990 | 466 miles |
The Tesla is £8,015 cheaper than the i3 50 xDrive and has a longer official range than the C-Class, but its charging tops out at 250kW, while the BMW (400kW) and Mercedes (330kW) charge faster (Electrifying; Model 3 price from EV Database). Our own head-to-heads cover the i3 against the Mercedes and the Tesla range and prices.
The cheaper i3 40 xDrive is the more interesting car on paper. Its 441 miles fall 25 miles short of the Model 3’s 466, but at £47,925 it costs £5,080 less than the i3 50 xDrive and is £2,935 above the Tesla.
Is the electric BMW cheaper than petrol for company car drivers?
For company car drivers, yes by a wide margin. Zero-emission cars pay 4% benefit in kind in 2026/27, then 5% in 2027/28, 7% in 2028/29 and 9% in 2029/30, while a comparable petrol saloon can be taxed at up to 37% (Electric Car Scheme). The i3 40 xDrive costs £2,950 more than the 320 to buy, so the P11D value is higher, but the tax rate difference is far larger than the price gap. Our BiK calculator guide shows how to run the numbers for your tax band, and the electric vs petrol comparison covers private running costs.
The petrol 320 does not arrive until January 2027, so the i3 is the only 3 Series you can order for autumn delivery.
When can you get one?
UK orders opened on 18 June 2026 and production began in Munich in August 2026. BMW says first UK customer deliveries start in autumn 2026, while the petrol 3 Series arrives in January 2027 (CarGurus); we could not independently confirm the January date. The M60 xDrive M Performance model joins in 2027.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 18 June 2026 | UK i3 orders open |
| August 2026 | Production starts in Munich |
| Autumn 2026 | First UK i3 deliveries |
| 5 October 2026 | iX3 40 xDrive order start reported by electrive |
| January 2027 | Petrol 320 and M350 xDrive arrive |
| 2027 | i3 M60 xDrive joins the range |
What this means for you
If you want the longest range BMW offers, the i3 50 xDrive is the one, though 566 miles is a laboratory figure and winter motorway driving will cut it. If you want the lowest price, the i3 40 xDrive at £47,925 is the sensible choice, and its 441-mile range is already more than most buyers need.
Company car drivers should price the i3 against the petrol 320 on benefit in kind and not on list price. Private buyers comparing against the Model 3 should note the £8,015 gap to the i3 50 xDrive, and check the longest-range electric cars for other options. Wait for UK pricing before choosing an iX3 40 xDrive, and see our BMW iX5 UK order guide for the other new BMW electric SUV.
Method and sources
Prices are on-the-road figures from BMW UK and UK motoring titles, linked above. Range figures are WLTP claims, not our own measurements, and we have not driven these cars. We will update this page as UK prices and delivery dates change.
How we test and where our numbers come from
Range figures are official WLTP combined values taken from manufacturer UK specification pages, with real-world estimates drawn from independent comparative testing. Prices are UK list prices at the time of the latest update. Tax, grant and charging-scheme figures come from GOV.UK and HMRC publications. We re-check every guide when pricing, specification or policy changes. Last checked 6 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the new BMW i3 cost in the UK?
The i3 40 xDrive starts at £47,925 on the road and the i3 50 xDrive at £53,005. The limited i3 50 xDrive First Edition costs £57,905. These are before any discount, and the i3 is priced above the £37,000 ceiling for the Electric Car Grant.
How far can the BMW i3 go on a charge?
BMW quotes up to 566 miles of WLTP range for the i3 50 xDrive, while Autocar and others quote 567 miles and Top Gear 563 miles. EV Database lists 441 miles for the cheaper i3 40 xDrive. Real-world range will be lower, especially on a motorway in winter.
When will the BMW i3 be delivered in the UK?
BMW says first UK customer deliveries start in autumn 2026. Orders opened on 18 June 2026 and production began in Munich in August 2026.
Is there a four-wheel-drive BMW iX3 40 in the UK?
electrive reports that orders have opened for an iX3 40 xDrive with 275kW, with a starting price of €65,900 in Europe. We have not found a confirmed UK price or UK order date. The rear-wheel-drive iX3 40 is on sale from £53,250.
What is the benefit-in-kind rate on a BMW i3?
As a zero-emission car, the i3 sits in the 4% benefit-in-kind band for 2026/27, then 5% in 2027/28, 7% in 2028/29 and 9% in 2029/30. A comparable petrol saloon can be taxed at up to 37%.
Sources and further reading
- press.bmwgroup.comBMW Group UK PressClubPrimary source referenced in this article.
- pistonheads.comBMW confirms i3 pricing for the UKUK prices of £47,925 for the i3 40 xDrive and £44,975 for the BMW 320.
- topgear.comThe 563-mile BMW i3 will start from £53,005The i3 50 xDrive price and range claim.
- ev-database.orgBMW i3 40 xDrive (2026) price and specifications82.8kWh battery, 441-mile WLTP range and 300kW charging for the i3 40 xDrive.
- autocar.co.ukElectric 3 Series: BMW i3 brings 567-mile range for £53kThe i3 50 xDrive's 108.7kWh battery and rival comparison.
- electrive.comBMW iX5 & iX3 40 xDrive order start and OS X updateOrder start for the iX3 40 xDrive with 275kW and its European price.
- press.bmwgroup.comNew entry-level BMW iX3 added to the rangeThe rear-wheel-drive iX3 40: £53,250, 395 miles, 320hp and 300kW charging.
- electriccarscheme.comNew BMW i3 2026 (Neue Klasse) First Look: 563-Mile RangeBenefit-in-kind rates of 4% in 2026/27 and 5% from April 2027, against up to 37% for petrol.
EV Compared
The EV Compared editorial team tracks the UK electric vehicle market full time: new model launches, list prices, WLTP and real-world range, public charging tariffs and the tax rules that decide what an EV actually costs to run. Every guide is checked against manufacturer specifications and official GOV.UK figures, and updated whenever the numbers move.
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