BMW Is Building The Electric Convertible Almost Nobody Else Will

The Neue Klasse era is about to get glamorous

Fully electric convertibles are especially rare, given the unique engineering challenges that come with combining structural reinforcements required for drop-tops with the heavy battery packs of EVs. The Maserati GranCabrio Folgore is one of the few examples of this kind of vehicle, but BMW is working on one of its own that should be a lot more attainable. For the first time, the all-new i4 Convertible has been spied in the wild. It’s expected to share styling cues and much of its architecture with the electric BMW i3 sedan, and it will be without a single direct competitor.

The First Roofless Neue Klasse BMW

BMW has already revealed the popular iX3 SUV and i3 sedan on its Neue Klasse platform. They represent a new era of BMW design and feature much-improved battery and charging technologies, enabling long ranges on a full charge. The i4 Convertible will be the first of the Neue Klasse models with the ability to drop the roof.

Although most of the design is concealed beneath a camouflage wrap, we can see the generally cleaner lines of the Neue Klasse era. The grille shape is broad and not oversized, which is more in line with the i3 look than the iX3’s vertical, narrower nostrils. 

A major feature of this i4 Convertible is the use of a soft-top roof, which is expected to be crucial in keeping the vehicle’s weight down. BMW previously used a hard-top roof for the first-generation 4 Series Convertible, but has since returned to a lighter canvas roof.

The i4 Convertible appears to be fairly compact, thanks in part to short overhangs, but that could be an illusion. It should be long enough to accommodate four people in reasonable comfort. 

Powertrain and Performance Expectations

The i4 Convertible will likely mirror the powertrains of the i3 sedan, which will initially arrive with dual motors and all-wheel drive in 2027. It will produce 463 horsepower, so performance is ample, but the bigger news is the range. The i3’s 800-volt technology enables ultra-fast DC charging at up to 400 kW and it has a range of up to 440 miles. Those figures easily surpass Tesla’s Model 3 and other sedan rivals of a similar size.

If the i4 Convertible uses the same powertrain, it will likely be a little slower and less efficient due to the weight of the drop-top, but a range of at least 400 miles would still be within reach. We’re intrigued to find out what top-down driving is like with a silent but powerful electric powertrain.

In the cabin, we expect the i4 Convertible to adopt the Panoramic Vision display. It may receive some bespoke materials to set it apart from the i3 and perhaps a few more exuberant colors, given the aspirational nature of a cabriolet.

Related: Here’s Your First Look at BMW’s New Electric X4

Availability and Pricing

According to Autocar, the new i4 Convertible will make its public debut in the second half of 2027 before reaching UK dealerships in 2028. A likely bet for the U.S., the i4 drop-top will probably arrive here at roughly the same point.

Pricing is unknown at this early stage, but it’s almost certain to be more expensive than the current 4 Series Convertible, which starts at $61,300. A starting price of closer to $70,000 wouldn’t surprise us.

Rivals are non-existent—there are no electric convertibles of the i4’s size on sale in America. That could very well turn out to be what makes the i4 Convertible a success.

Related: BMW Hints the Z4 Could Go Electric—And Drop Its Iconic Engine