Debrecen/Munich — BMW has pulled the wraps off the first series-produced model of its much-touted Neue Klasse: the all-electric iX3. Think of it as the brand’s clean-sheet reboot—new electronics, new design language, new batteries, and yes, new bragging rights. With a WLTP range of up to 805 km (500 miles) and peak DC charging at 400 kW, this “Sports Activity Vehicle” doesn’t just sip electrons; it inhales them and keeps going.
Fast Facts (the espresso shot)
- Powertrain: 6th-gen BMW eDrive; dual-motor iX3 50 xDrive with 345 kW/469 hp and 645 Nm
- 0–100 km/h: 4.9 s | Top speed: 210 km/h
- Battery: 108.7 kWh usable, new cylindrical-cell pack; 800V architecture
- Charging: Up to 400 kW DC (10–80% in 21 min); adds ~372 km in 10 min
- Range (WLTP): 679–805 km (provisional)
- Aero: Cd 0.24
- Space: 520–1,750 L boot + 58 L frunk; 2,000 kg towing (50 xDrive)
- Brains: Four new high-performance “superbrains,” incl. Heart of Joy for dynamics
- Production & Launch: Debrecen, Hungary from Autumn 2025; EU Spring 2026, USA Summer 2026; China-specific build from Shenyang Summer 2026
Design: Minimalism with muscles
BMW debuts a reduced, timeless design language on the iX3—sharp volumes, flush glass and handles, and vertical, sculpted kidneys with an illuminated “Iconic Glow” signature that says “goodbye chrome, hello photons.” It’s an SAV stance with classic two-box proportion (4,782 mm L / 1,895 mm W / 1,635 mm H), squared-off arches, and horizontal “L”-theme tail lamps. Comprehensive design protection? Filed—because this look is set to ripple across future BMWs.
Cabin: Calm, clean, and (very) connected
Inside, clutter is out and driver focus is in. The “floating” dash with fabric surfacing and ambient backlight wraps into the doors, while a panoramic roof floods the cabin with light. Material worlds range from Econeer textiles to Veganza, M PerformTex, and BMW Individual Merino/M PerformTex. Seats are slim, comfy, and road-trip proof; the rear bench is sofa-like. Practicality remains peak X: 520–1,750 L cargo, plus a 58 L bonus under the bonnet.
Panoramic iDrive: Your windshield is the screen
Meet BMW Panoramic iDrive on Operating System X—a four-part symphony of screens and smarts:
- Panoramic Vision projects info across the entire windscreen (A-pillar to A-pillar).
- An optional 3D Head-Up Display adds spatial depth for nav and automated driving cues.
- A free-cut Central Display sits ergonomically by the wheel with QuickSelect widgets.
- A new multifunction steering wheel adds illuminated, haptic controls.
Voice gets cleverer too: the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant gains new voices, proactive suggestions, and evolving LLM smarts. Entertainment? Disney+, YouTube, AirConsole games, Spotify, Zoom—all on board (subscription/connectivity dependent).
eDrive Gen-6: Lighter losses, faster charges, longer legs
BMW’s new cylindrical-cell battery and 800V hardware bring a step-change:
- Up to 40% lower energy losses vs. Gen-5, 10% less weight, 20% lower manufacturing cost.
- 20% higher cell-level energy density; ~30% faster charging.
- The pack becomes structure (“pack to open body”), while cells go cell-to-pack for better density.
Result: iX3 50 xDrive does the school run, the commute, and the cross-country—on one charge if you pack light and believe in WLTP.
Plug it in—and back out: Bidirectional ready
The iX3 arrives with Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) for on-the-go power, Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) for soaking up your solar, and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) to earn its keep in the energy market (feature availability may vary). A Multifunction Charger with adapters simplifies life on the road; a BMW Wallbox Professional (DC) brings bidirectional charging home or to work. The AI-driven charging flap even opens when it senses you’re in a plugging mood.
Handling: Heart of Joy, meet heavy right foot
One of the iX3’s four “superbrains,” Heart of Joy, fuses control of drivetrain, braking, recuperation, and steering—processing up to 10× faster than conventional ECUs. The result? Crisp responses, a freakishly smooth Soft Stop, and recuperation strong enough to handle 98% of everyday braking. It’s all backed by in-house Dynamic Performance Control logic, because BMW things.
Assisted driving: Symbiotic and serene
A separate high-compute unit—the “superbrain of automated driving”—delivers next-gen driver assistance. Symbiotic Drive blends your inputs with the car’s intelligence so ACC won’t instantly drop if you brush the brakes, and lane guidance keeps helping even after small steering nudges. Motorway Assistant can enable extended hands-off periods; City Assistant spots traffic lights and handles stop-go like a local.
Built clean, runs lean
BMW says the iX3 50 xDrive’s life-cycle CO₂e (over 200,000 km) is 34% lower than its predecessor, beating a comparable ICE after about 21,500 km on the EU grid—or ~17,500 km on renewables. Roughly one-third of the car uses secondary materials: marine-plastic parts up front, 100% recycled PET in textiles/headliner/carpet, 80% secondary aluminum in suspension bits, and 70% secondary aluminum for wheels. The Debrecen plant operates without fossil fuels in normal conditions. Efficiency? ~20% less energy consumption than before (WLTP combined).
Roll-out: The long game starts now
Series production of the iX3 50 xDrive starts in Autumn 2025 at Debrecen. Europe gets it in Spring 2026, the U.S. in Summer 2026, and China receives a locally tailored variant from Shenyang in Summer 2026. More variants—including an entry model—will follow. BMW plans to seed Neue Klasse tech across 40 models/updates by 2027.
“The Neue Klasse is our biggest future project… Practically everything about it is new, yet it is also more BMW than ever,” says Oliver Zipse, BMW AG CEO. Translation: same Sheer Driving Pleasure, bigger electric grin.
The new BMW iX3 doesn’t just replace a model; it reboots the playbook—with the range to roam, the charge speed to sprint, and enough silicon to qualify as a rolling data center. If this is chapter one of Neue Klasse, the sequel can’t come fast enough.
