BMW is Developing a 1 Series EV to Attract Entry-Level Buyers

BMW’s latest electric models offer plenty of compelling features and tech, but they’re far from affordable. To attract younger buyers who couldn’t otherwise afford one of its EVs, the automaker is developing a 1 Series electric model at the entry point of its lineup.

While we don’t know if it will be available in the U.S., the 1 Series EV will be sold as a sedan or hatchback. BMW views the opportunity as a way to get young buyers into the brand, even though the smaller cars return less in margin. Mercedes plans to cut the A-Class in 2026, leaving a hold in the market for BMW to fill.

The 1 Series EV will launch in 2027, and a 2 Series electric will land the year after. Both will be sold with the gas models but will get the Neue Klasse platform BMW announced last year. The automaker plans to release six new EVs on the architecture within the next two years.

BMW promises that the Neue Klasse vehicles will arrive with “30 percent more range, 30 percent faster charging, and 25 percent efficiency improvement.” Those developments might also help the automaker deliver better range with cheaper battery chemistries, allowing it to sell a less profitable EV without taking a significant hit.

While funky, Neue Klasse vehicles represent a notable step forward for BMW’s styling. Where the company’s current EVs have almost cartoonishly large grilles but otherwise normal bodywork, the new vehicles look futuristic and incorporate BMW’s signature grille shape in new ways.

[Images: BMW]

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