According to Joachim Post, BMW’s Chief of Development, the 1-Series hatchback will transition into a new generation in 2028, which will go on sale with petrol engines and electric motors to choose from.
Autocar.co.uk quotes the executive saying that the company doesn’t feel like discontinuing its smallest and cheapest hatchback at all. Furthermore, while the final production car hasn’t taken form just yet, it’s expected to reach the showrooms in at least two body variants – three-door and five-door hatchback.
The publication speculates that the ICE version of the new 1-Series will retain its front-wheel-drive configuration, while the EV will offer a choice between RWD and AWD. The range-topping BMW M1 might wind up with the same dual-motor setup as the i3 sedan spotted on the Nürburgring last weekend (see video). That one is reportedly good for 460 PS (454 hp / 338 kW), so the electric M1 may become the most powerful BMW 1-Series in history when it debuts.
It’s also official that both vehicles are being designed with the Neue Klasse design language in mind, although there will be certain distinctions between them. The Bavarian company hopes to streamline production enough to offer the EV starting from just €35,000, although this may or may not succeed depending on the state of the market in two years.