The new 2027 BMW i3 is here with up to 468 miles of range, but it’s not cheap

This one is about a car, not a home upgrade, but it's worth knowing if you're weighing an electric vehicle alongside other household energy plans. BMW has opened US orders for the 2027 i3, an electric sedan that can go 446 to 468 miles on a charge, according to BMW's own estimate. It starts at $61,500, or $62,850 with the destination fee, for the i3 50 xDrive trim, which has all-wheel drive and a 0-to-60 time of 4.5 seconds. A sportier i3 60 xDrive trim is expected in 2027 at over $65,000.

The car uses an 800-volt electrical system that lets it add 191 to 208 miles of range in 10 minutes on a fast charger, and it has a NACS port, meaning it can plug into Tesla Superchargers without an adapter. It also supports bidirectional charging: with the right equipment, it can power devices directly or, through vehicle-to-home charging, supply electricity to your house during a power outage.

For comparison, the i3 costs quite a bit more than rival electric sedans, the Tesla Model 3 (starting at $38,630) and Mercedes CLA EV (starting at $47,250). If you're thinking about pairing a home battery or solar setup with an EV that can back up your house in an outage, this bidirectional charging feature is the detail worth watching, though pricing puts the i3 well above entry-level electric sedans.