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BMW launches iX3, first car in ‘Neue Klasse’ range

The iX3 will go on sale in Q2 2026, offering a range of up to 500 miles, charging speeds of 400kW and BMW's sixth-generation eDrive technology.

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BMW iX3 Neue Klasse

BMW has launched the next-generation iX3, the first car in its ‘Neue Klasse’ range, which will see an overhaul of the brand’s entire line-up.

The iX3 will go on sale in Q2 2026, offering a range of up to 500 miles, charging speeds of 400kW and BMW’s sixth-generation eDrive technology.

231 miles of range can be added in 10 minutes, while the battery can be charged from 10% to 80% in 21 minutes.

Vertical kidney grilles are intended to reference the original Neue Klasse from the 1960s.

Initially a single model will be offered, the iX3 50 xDrive, with between 421 and 500 miles of range, 469PS and all wheel drive, while an entry-level model will follow .

It uses cylindrical battery cells, allowing for 20% higher energy density.

Sixth-generation eDrive technology reduces energy loss by 40%, weight by 10% and manufacturing costs by 20%.

Bidirectional charging features allow the iX3 to feed energy back into the grid, power electrical devices while driving and store solar energy produced by home solar installations.

Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) debut on the iX3, including City Assistant, which can detect a red traffic light and stop the vehicle, as well as Motorway Assistant, which can drive autonomously for long periods.

P90615628 highRes the new bmw ix3 50 x

BMW Panoramic iDrive will debut on the model, with a new operating system featuring large language model (LLM) technology, a full-width projection on the base of the windscreen and an optional 3D head up display.

The system allows for in-car gaming through AirConsole, as well as video streaming and Zoom video calling.

One third of the vehicle is made from secondary raw materials.

Over a 124,000 mile lifecycle, the iX3 achieves a carbon footprint 34% smaller than its predecessor.

When charged with electricity from a typical European energy mix, the higher carbon footprint of its production, when compared with an internal combustion (ICE) vehicle, is offset after 10,873 miles.

Production is set to begin at BMW’s Debrecen, Hungary plant near the end of 2025, while an entry-level model will follow later.

Oliver Zipse, chairman of the board of management at BMW, said: “The Neue Klasse is our biggest future project and marks a huge leap in terms of technologies, driving experience and design.

“Practically everything about it is new, yet it is also more BMW than ever.

“Our entire product range will benefit from the innovations of the Neue Klasse – regardless of the drive technology.

“What started as a bold vision has now become reality: the BMW iX3 is the first Neue Klasse model to go into series production.

“We are not only bringing the next generation of one of our most successful fully electric vehicles onto the road, we are launching a new era for BMW.”

Between now and 2027, BMW expects to reveal 40 new models and heavy updates as part of the Neue Klasse range.

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