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BMW plans to debut a 1 Series electric hatchback in 2021

It will look more like a conventional car than the divisive i3.

While we've know for a while now that BMW plans to make electric variants of all its most popular vehicles, the company has now shared more definitive plans. In an interview with Auto Express, Robert Irlinger, the company's EV division chief, revealed BMW plans to debut an electric version of its 1 Series hatchback (pictured above) called the BMW i1 as early as 2021. Auto Express says the i1 will be an "entry-level" vehicle that will look like a conventional gasoline car (think: more iX3 than i3). What's more, BMW could launch the i1 as soon as 2021, according to the publication.

In the same interview, Irlinger added that BMW has flexibility in terms of which models it can electrify next. "You will see electrification in our whole portfolio," he said. "We can rework our front-wheel-drive as well as the rear-wheel-drive platforms and both are able to show all technologies – our customers have the power of choice."

Earlier this year, at the company's NEXTGen event, BMW said it planned to debut 12 fully electric vehicles and 13 plug-in hybrids by 2023. In addition to the i1, some of the first electric vehicles that'll make their way out to showrooms include the iX3 SUV and i4 sedan.