Mobility Highlights of Week 40/2026

BMW is unveiling the new generation of the 3 Series and, for the first time, expanding the lineup with a fully electric BMW i3 based on the Neue Klasse platform. At launch, two electric all-wheel-drive variants will be available alongside gasoline models featuring 48-volt mild-hybrid technology. The i3 50 xDrive delivers 345 kW (469 hp) and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds.

Its 108.7-kWh battery enables a WLTP range of up to 912 kilometers. Thanks to its 800-volt architecture, the i3 can charge at up to 400 kW, adding enough energy for up to 423 kilometers of range in ten minutes. The i3 40 xDrive delivers 275 kW and, with its 82.8-kWh battery, offers a range of up to 710 kilometers. An i3 M60 xDrive has also been announced for 2027.

The electric and combustion-engine models largely share the same design and feature the new Panoramic iDrive with a 17.9-inch central display and Operating System X. The Highway Assistant enables hands-free Level 2 driving at speeds of up to 130 km/h. The electric i3 will be produced at BMW’s main plant in Munich, while the combustion-engine models will be built in Dingolfing in the future.

Li Auto has unveiled the new i9 in China. The 5.23-meter-long electric SUV features a 400 kW (536 hp) all-wheel-drive system producing 660 Nm of torque and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds. With a drag coefficient of 0.215, Li Auto describes the i9 as the world’s most aerodynamic mass-produced SUV.

The 101-kWh battery provides up to 705 kilometers of range under China’s CLTC cycle and supports charging rates of up to 5C. The vehicle is said to be capable of adding up to 500 kilometers of CLTC range in ten minutes. Its chassis technology includes steer-by-wire and rear-wheel steering, which are designed to reduce the turning circle to 10.6 meters.

Inside, the i9 offers features including four zero-gravity seats, a 29-inch panoramic display, and a 29-speaker audio system. Up to four LiDAR sensors and two M100 chips providing a combined computing performance of 1,280 TOPS are available as options.

Lucid and Bolt plan to jointly develop autonomous mobility services in Europe. Bolt intends to deploy at least 25,000 autonomous vehicles based on Lucid’s upcoming midsize platform across several European cities and countries. In the longer term, the company aims to operate a total of 100,000 autonomous vehicles on its mobility platform by 2035.

The jointly developed vehicle platform is intended to support SAE Level 4 automated driving and will use NVIDIA Hyperion as its computing and sensor architecture. Lucid will contribute its software-defined vehicle architecture, while Bolt will provide data and experience from its European mobility business. The vehicles, software, and autonomous driving functions are to be tailored specifically to European traffic conditions and regulatory requirements.

Bolt plans to own and operate the vehicles itself, building the necessary fleet infrastructure and operating systems while working with cities and public authorities. The companies have not yet announced a specific launch date or named the first cities for commercial deployment. Technical details on the vehicles’ batteries, range, and sensor configurations have also not yet been disclosed.

The IAA MOBILITY Visionary Club brings together visionary leaders, innovators, and changemakers shaping the future of mobility. In our exclusive LinkedIn group, members gain access to inspiring interviews, fresh perspectives, and ideas from across the entire mobility ecosystem.

In the latest episode, Sophia Rödiger, CMO at 1KOMMA5°, joins host Sarah Harman to discuss what mobility means to her, why she considers herself an electromobility pioneer, and how she experienced the rapid expansion of charging infrastructure across Europe.

She also shares her perspective on the energy transition, why she believes it needs to move faster, and how 1KOMMA5° managed to turn energy from a traditionally unexciting product into a lifestyle brand.