BMW’s iX3 is a ‘new class’ of EV that packs a lot of range and computing power

For years, BMW has been teasing its forthcoming next-generation “Neue Klasse” electrical conveyance platform, implicit with amended batteries, amended range, and an all-new “superbrain” with enhanced computing power. Today, the German automaker yet revealed the archetypal Neue Klasse vehicle: the iX3. And astatine archetypal glance, it has a batch to instrumentality in.

The iX3, which made its debut contiguous astatine the Munich car show, represents the 109-year-old company’s effort astatine reinventing itself arsenic a future-focused automaker that understands the increasing value of bundle successful the automotive world. It’s besides the extremity of the spear successful BMW’s effort to situation the increasing power of China, which has go the world’s fig 1 exporter of high-tech electrical vehicles. And the iX3 volition soon beryllium joined by 40 much Neue Klasse models implicit the adjacent 2 years arsenic BMW radically changes the mode it designs, builds, and sells what it calls “the eventual driving machine.”

Of course, each that volition beryllium for naught if the iX3 isn’t a compelling EV with slayer specs that’s amusive to drive. And from the archetypal look, it seems similar BMW whitethorn person deed it retired of the park.

Charging velocity and range

The iX3 volition beryllium BMW’s archetypal EV built connected an 800-volt architecture, which the automaker says volition alteration lightning-fast charging speeds of up to 400kW, adding arsenic overmuch arsenic 230 miles of scope successful conscionable 10 minutes. (Most DC accelerated chargers successful the US connection speeds successful the scope of 150–350kW.) The iX3 is besides the archetypal EV to person BMW’s in-house-developed Gen6 cylindrical artillery cells, which connection 30 percent much range, up to 30 percent faster charging speeds, and 20 percent much vigor density, and they are 50 percent cheaper to build.

BMW wasn’t acceptable to disclose the nonstop vigor contented of the iX3’s caller artillery pack, but did accidental it volition powerfulness the sports enactment conveyance (SAV) for implicit 400 miles of EPA-estimated range. That’s little than the 600 miles of scope the automaker was predicting successful 2022, but inactive would spot the iX3 among the apical tier of existent EVs successful presumption of range.

The archetypal variant to rotation disconnected the assembly enactment astatine BMW’s recently constructed mill successful Hungary volition beryllium the iX3 50 xDrive, with an all-wheel thrust centrifugal setup susceptible of spitting retired 463 horsepower and 476lb-ft of torque. That mentation volition deed US dealerships by mid-2026, starting astatine $60,000, with rear-wheel thrust models to travel soon after.

‘Superbrains’

The iX3 volition beryllium the archetypal exemplary from BMW to diagnostic the automaker’s oddly named “Heart of Joy” computer, which is 1 of the Neue Klasse’s touted 4 “superbrains.” This unassuming achromatic container aggregates each the traction, stability, and electrical centrifugal absorption functions that are typically handled by a twelve antithetic processors sourced from a twelve antithetic suppliers and scattered passim the car. In unifying those functions, the iX3 is definite to beryllium a blast to drive, arsenic experienced by Verge contributor Tim Stevens earlier this year.

The postulation of displays — the instrumentality cluster, heads-up display, and cardinal show — combines to signifier the Panoramic iDrive, which runs connected the automaker’s Android-based Operating System X. BMW says it is elevating the acquisition with the iX3 to guarantee that drivers support their eyes connected the roadworthy and debar distractions. As such, the automaker has included carnal knobs and buttons for the astir important controls, including HVAC, audio volume, reflector control, and informing lights.

(BMW doesn’t notation its suppliers successful its property release, but the automaker besides announced contiguous a caller automated driving aviator for Level 2 Plus driving, which it has developed with Qualcomm.)

The iX3 is BMW’s archetypal foray into the buzzy satellite of software-defined vehicles. So there’s a batch of integer features that the automaker says volition amended implicit clip done over-the-air updates. At launch, BMW claims it has achieved “superior intelligence” successful the signifier of interior lights that travel connected automatically if the vehicle’s sensors observe that the operator is searching for something, oregon a charging larboard flap that opens automatically erstwhile it detects an approaching plug. Other examples see app notifications if the conveyance detects thing moving wrong portion its locked.

Digital keys connected smartphones oregon smartwatches volition beryllium the “preferred” mode to unlock and commencement the iX3, BMW says, portion noting that it supports each the large manufacturers, including Apple, Samsung, and Google. And the conveyance supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

How does iX3 stack up?

The archetypal happening you announcement astir the iX3 is the slimmer, much vertically aligned kidney grille, which sets it isolated from immoderate of its EV predecessors. Some could reason that BMW’s signature plan diagnostic has gotten a small retired of power successful the EV era, spreading lewdly crossed the iX’s beforehand end, for example. So it whitethorn travel arsenic a spot of a daze that the automaker would code down its aggressiveness for its caller flagship battery-powered vehicle. In spot of a wider grille, we get a caller horizontal lightning plan that presents arsenic much sophisticated.

In presumption of size, the iX3 is astir the aforesaid magnitude arsenic an i4, portion besides a small taller (64.4 inches) and a small wider (74.6 inches). And astatine 188.3 inches, it’s not arsenic agelong arsenic an iX, but is longer than astir versions of the gas-powered X3.

BMW is racing to support up with Tesla and a caller procreation of Chinese manufacturers, similar Xiaomi and Xpeng, that intuitively recognize bundle and person for years been gathering vehicles with delightful integer experiences. And the German automaker has been making a batch of progress, with its EVs and plug-in hybrids seeing double-digit income maturation twelvemonth implicit year.

As governments astir the satellite signifier retired their EV incentives, BMW volition look a caller situation astir affordability. The luxury and premium EV abstraction is packed to the gills, with bequest players similar BMW, Mercedes, and Audi competing against newcomers similar Tesla, Lucid, and Rivian. The iX3 isn’t going to upset the equilibrium excessively much, but it is an important portion successful BMW’s ngo to person buyers that erstwhile it comes to EVs with the cleanable equilibrium of range, power, and software, it’s the eventual choice.