BMW i3 Touring due in 2027 as electric wagon

Prototype images suggest the i3 Touring will closely follow the design of the sedan i3, but with a longer roofline and more usable cargo space, making it a more direct rival to premium family wagons and SUVs. BMW has not disclosed pricing, but the model is expected to sit on the same electric architecture as the sedan version and offer several powertrain configurations.

The most powerful version mentioned so far, the i3 50 xDrive, is said to produce 463 horsepower and use a 108.7-kWh battery pack rated for up to 912 kilometres under the WLTP cycle in sedan form. Touring range should be somewhat lower, but even a reduction would still leave the car in the upper tier of the market for real-world EV distance, an important selling point for buyers worried about long trips and charging stops.

Inside, BMW plans to fit its Panoramic iDrive system and a 17.9-inch multimedia display, underlining the company’s push to make software and cabin technology part of the premium value proposition as much as battery size or motor output. For BMW, the wagon body style also fills a niche that remains meaningful in Europe, where estate cars have historically attracted family buyers who want boot space without moving into a larger SUV.

For investors, the product is another sign that BMW is trying to defend share in the premium EV segment by broadening its lineup rather than relying on a single halo model. The strategy could help support margins if demand for larger electric family cars proves more durable than the softer, more volatile appetite seen in some luxury EV categories. The risk is that the market for wagons is narrower than for crossovers, so success will depend on whether BMW can make the case that range and practicality outweigh the body-style’s limited mainstream appeal.

The launch also lands in a sector still struggling with uneven consumer adoption, regulatory shifts and profitability pressure. Rival brands have taken different paths, with Jaguar pressing ahead with electrification while Ferrari has stepped back from near-term EV ambitions, a reminder that premium carmakers still disagree on how fast the market will move. BMW’s bet is that family buyers will reward an EV that behaves less like a compromise and more like a replacement for a conventional long-distance estate.