Best of

Electric Car Awards 2026: Readers' choice

What Car? readers were given a 14-car shortlist, and asked to vote for the upcoming electric model that they're most excited about seeing in showrooms

WINNER: Readers' choice

BMW i3

BMW i3 preview

Electric Car Awards logo

BMW i3 front studio

On sale Late 2026 Price from £50,000 (est)

The BMW i3 is returning, but not as we knew it. You see, while the original i3 (launched back in 2013) was a quirky-looking hatchback with a cramped interior and short electric range, this new, more conventionally styled model is a far more impressive proposition.

scroll for more

For starters, it has the longest official range of any production electric car (EV) to date, at up to 563 miles. That headline-grabbing figure has been achieved by combining the same 108.7kWh usable capacity battery that’s in the BMW iX3 SUV (our reigning Car of the Year, no less) with a more aerodynamic, saloon body. And it means that even if your day begins with breakfast in Berwick-upon-Tweed and ends with supper in Southampton, you shouldn’t need to stop to charge. BYD Seal, Mercedes C-Class Electric and Tesla Model 3 drivers don’t have that luxury.

BMW i3 rear studio

List price

£47,925

Leasing

0-62 mph

5.4 sec

Top speed

124 mph

Range

435 miles

Insurance group

37E

When a top-up is eventually required, the i3 won’t keep you waiting around for long; it’s capable of handling rates of up to 400kW, which means a 10-80% charge is possible in as little as 21 minutes.

There’s encouraging news for keen drivers, too. A sophisticated computer system (called Heart of Joy) is designed to make the i3 react quickly to inputs, which could potentially help it feel every bit as engaging as the current, combustion-engined BMW 3 Series. And remember, that model is already at the top of the executive car class when it comes to handling.

scroll for more

The only version of the i3 at launch is the 463bhp, four-wheel-drive 50 xDrive, but cheaper versions will follow soon after. The line-up will ultimately be crowned by an iM3 performance car with four motors – one for each wheel – and more than 1000bhp.

Inside, the i3 shares much of its tech with the iX3, and in that car, the 17.9in infotainment touchscreen reacts quickly to inputs, while the slim display that spans the car’s full width below the windscreen puts a wealth of useful information close to the driver’s line of sight.

BMW i3 dashboard

As for price, the i3 should start at around £50,000. That’s similar to what you’ll pay for a Model 3 Long Range AWD and cheaper than any C-Class Electric.

Add all of this together and it’s easy to see why the i3 topped our online poll, where we asked What Car? readers to vote for the most exciting new electric car going on sale in the next 12 months. There were a dozen models on the shortlist, but the i3 saw off the Audi A2 e-tron, Jaguar Type 01, C-Class Electric and Toyota Land Cruiser EV in early head-to-head contents, before edging out the Volkswagen ID Polo in the final.

scroll for more

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here