BMW readies Leipzig for the smallest Neue Klasse EV yet

Leipzig is returning to BMW’s electric front line

For BMW, Leipzig is not just another assembly plant. It was there, in 2013, that production of the original i3 began — the car that took BMW into the electric era before most premium rivals had mounted a serious response. Now the company wants to put the same plant back at the centre of its next electric push. Plant director Petra Peterhänsel told DPA that Leipzig is preparing for Neue Klasse, although model names are not being confirmed for now.

That silence says plenty. Leipzig currently builds compact vehicles, including the BMW 1 Series, 2 Series Gran Coupé, 2 Series Active Tourer and MINI Countryman. According to BMW’s own figures, following the expansion that began in 2018, Leipzig can build up to 350,000 cars a year and produce two brands and three powertrain types on a single line. That makes it a logical birthplace for a small electric BMW, because the plant is already geared around compact-model production.

The i1 is not official yet, but the gap is obvious

The iX1 already fills the role of a small electric SUV, but it is not a low-slung, dynamic compact in the traditional BMW mould. The iX1 eDrive20 offers a WLTP range of up to 283 to 312 miles, or roughly 455 to 502 km, uses a 65.2 kWh battery and accepts up to 130 kW DC charging. That is respectable, but in the 2026 premium EV market it is no longer a technological statement. It is the baseline.

The future i1 therefore needs to be more than a shrunken iX1. If BMW brings Neue Klasse technology into a 1 Series-sized car, it could in theory combine a lower centre of gravity, better aerodynamics and the advantages of the Gen6 electric drivetrain. BimmerToday estimates that the i1 could offer at least around 600 km of WLTP range, and potentially up to 700 km in stronger versions, but those figures have not been confirmed.

Neue Klasse raises the stakes on batteries and charging

BMW describes its Gen6 electric drivetrain as a technological leap: an 800-volt architecture, cylindrical battery cells, cell-to-pack construction and a battery pack integrated into the body structure all reduce weight and improve packaging. Compared with the previous Gen5 technology, range is expected to rise by around 30 percent and charging speed by the same margin, while energy density at cell level increases by 20 percent.

The effect of the same technology is already clear in BMW’s larger Neue Klasse models. The new Neue Klasse iX3 50 xDrive uses a battery with 108.7 kWh of usable capacity, develops 345 kW and 645 Nm from two motors, accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds and delivers up to 805 km of WLTP range. Fast charging at up to 400 kW adds as much as 372 km in ten minutes and takes the battery from 10 to 80 percent in 21 minutes.

If BMW can scale that package down into something smaller, lighter and cheaper, the i1 could land exactly where the premium compact EV market is now growing: outside the SUV mould, but with more range than the old idea of an electric city car.

European rivals are not waiting

The Mercedes-Benz CLA Electric already offers up to around 777 km of WLTP range, or 483 miles, and up to 320 kW DC charging. Audi has updated the Q4 e-tron with up to 592 km of range and up to 185 kW charging power, adding as much as 185 km in ten minutes in some versions. Lower down the price ladder, the Volvo EX30 proves that even a smaller electric crossover can offer 200 kW charging, up to around 475 km of WLTP range and a convincing everyday package.

BMW’s strength should come not only from the numbers, but from the way the car drives. If the i1 keeps a traditional rear-drive character and adds all-wheel drive in more powerful versions, it becomes a far more credible answer to both the Mercedes CLA and the rapidly improving compact EVs from Chinese manufacturers.