The BMW i3 is nearly $80 less a month to lease than the new iX3, but it’s the same price

This is about new electric vehicles, not home energy upgrades, so it doesn't bear on your house or heating and cooling costs. Still, here's what's happening for anyone cross-shopping an EV.

BMW has opened orders for its 2027 i3 sedan, which joins the iX3 SUV already on sale. Both are built on BMW's new Neue Klasse electric platform and share the same 108.7 kWh battery, an 800-volt electrical system, and a NACS charging port (the same plug used by Tesla's network). They can fast-charge from 10% to 80% in about 21 minutes. The i3 gets up to 468 miles of range, a bit more than the iX3's 434 miles, likely because the sedan is lower and more aerodynamic than the SUV.

Both models start at the same price, $61,500, but leasing them costs differently. BMW's online payment estimator lists the i3 at $784 a month and the iX3 at $862 a month, both for a 36-month lease with $4,999 due at signing. The gap comes down to dealer contributions and credits baked into BMW's estimate, not the sticker price. The iX3 currently comes with a 4.99% financing rate for 60 months plus a possible $500 loyalty discount; the i3, having just gone on sale, doesn't have special lease or financing offers yet, though those may show up soon. If you're considering either car, lease and loan terms can shift quickly, so current pricing is worth checking directly rather than assuming it will hold.