BMW’s Comparable 3 Series EV Is $4,400 Cheaper Than Its Gas Counterpart

BMW’s 2027 3 Series gives shoppers a direct comparison between a gas model and an electric model aimed at similar buyers. The gas-powered M350 xDrive is priced at $65,900, while the electric i3 50 xDrive costs $61,500, with neither price including destination charges. That makes the EV $4,400 cheaper, or 6.7% below the comparable gas version.

EV pricing has often been difficult to compare with gas vehicles because many electric models do not have a close fossil-fuel equivalent. BMW’s paired 3 Series lineup provides a clearer side-by-side look at how quickly electric vehicles have caught up on upfront cost. The article notes that analysts had expected EVs to become cheaper than gas equivalents in the latter half of the 2020s, with BloombergNEF pointing to 2026.

TechCrunch describes the two comparable BMWs as similarly powerful, similarly styled, and aimed at similar pocketbooks. The electric i3 uses BMW’s newest chassis and technology, while the gas-powered 3 Series uses an overhauled version of an existing platform. There is also a cheaper gas 3 Series trim, the 2027 BMW 330 at $49,900, plus an xDrive version at $51,900, but the article says those trims do not yet have electric equivalents.

For most buyers, the biggest day-to-day difference remains charging versus refueling. The gas 3 Series is expected to offer range similar to previous models, about 450 miles per tank in all-wheel-drive form, while the electric i3 is rated to travel 468 miles on a full charge. BMW says the EV can replenish 208 miles of range in 10 minutes with fast charging, making the gap less significant for many drivers.