2028 BMW 1 Series brings back rear-wheel drive with electric i1

Key takeaways

• 2028 BMW 1 Series returns rear-wheel drive in the electric i1
• Petrol and plug-in hybrid variants retain front-wheel drive
• Top-spec i1 expected to deliver around 240kW from a single motor

BMW's next-generation 1 Series will reportedly return to rear-wheel drive when the new electric i1 arrives in 2028. The fourth-generation hatchback will offer petrol, plug-in hybrid and fully electric power, marking the first 1 Series with rear-driven wheels since the F20 went out of production in 2019.

According to reports, the petrol and PHEV variants will continue with a front-drive layout, leaving the i1 alone in flipping the script.

Electric i1 brings rear-wheel drive back

AI render of 2028 BMW 1 Series

The i1 will sit on BMW's Neue Klasse platform, the same EV-only architecture that underpins the iX3 SUV and i3 sedan. That platform is rear-wheel drive by default with a dual-motor all-wheel drive option available for higher-spec variants.

The entry-level i1 is tipped to produce around 240kW from a single rear-mounted motor. A future M-badged version could push that to roughly 345kW using a dual-motor setup, matching the i3 50 xDrive and making it the most powerful 1 Series ever built.

Driving range will sit below the i3's headline figure thanks to a smaller battery pack, but full specifications have not been confirmed.

Petrol and plug-in hybrid keep front-wheel drive

Combustion-engined 1 Series models will continue on the UKL2 platform shared with Mini which means front-wheel drive as standard and all-wheel drive reserved for higher-output variants. The current 1.5-litre three-cylinder and 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engines are expected to carry over.

A plug-in hybrid joins the range for the first time, using the same setup as the 3 Series PHEV. That pairs the 2.0-litre engine with a front-mounted electric motor and a 19.5kWh battery, delivering close to 100km of electric-only range.

Neue Klasse cabin and AI tech inside

Inside, the new 1 Series is expected to get the same Panoramic iDrive head-up display and rhomboid central touchscreen that debuted on the iX3 and i3. BMW's latest driver assistance suite and new "AI superbrains" will feature across every variant, regardless of powertrain.

The hatchback shape stays put, despite rivals like the next Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Audi A2 moving towards a tall mini-MPV silhouette. A three-door body could return for the i1, although the five-door remains the priority.

Expect more details as BMW completes its Neue Klasse rollout over the next two years.