BMW is starting to seem like one of those over-achieving kids who just can’t sit still if they’re not being challenged by something – just two years after the last significant update to theThe only changes on the outside are to paint choices and alloy wheel designs. But under the skin the super-successfulhas been upgraded with a new, more energy-dense battery pack. This nearly doubles claimed electric-only driving range to as much as 63 miles per charge.
The new 19.5kWh battery pack uses BMW Gen5 eDrive tech – the same as the iX and other current all-electric BMW flagships, but a generation behind the forthcomingThe addition of a three-phase 11kW AC charger means a full charge from zero can be completed in 2 hours and 15 minutes now.
The development work is said to result in ‘even greater overall precision, composure and controllability’, with refinement also getting a boost as part of the package. One of the most tangible changes should be the lighter steering weight in the Comfort driving mode, since ‘the force needed to turn the steering wheel has been reduced.’The radical alterations took place in 2022, when the 3-series adopted the BMW Curved Display. For 2024, the firm has some new materials and steering wheels.
The most notable steering wheel difference comes with the two-spoke items with ‘polygonal rim’ now fitted to Luxury models. M Sport versions get a new design of three-spoke wheel.