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BMW has unveiled an all-new electric SUV that is said to signify a new era for the luxury brand in design, technology and innovation.
The new-generation BMW iX3, presented as the first model of the Neue Klasse, is the most technologically advanced BMW model ever, boasting a completely new approach to cabin design and technology, riding on an all-new platform and electric drivetrain.
The term Neue Klasse translates to ‘New Class’. It evokes another time in history when BMW reinvented itself – the beginning of the 1960s, with the launch of the BMW 1500 model.
Juicy details for the new iX3, now a completely separate model line-up to the petrol and diesel powered X3, include a sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology which offers a driving range of up to 805 kilometres in the WLTP cycle, 800V high-voltage battery and 400kW fast charging.
This puts the iX3 amongst the world’s longest range EVs, with it almost doubling in range compared to the previous generation iX3. Not surprising as the new iX3 has been developed squarely for pure electric mobility from the outset, as opposed to its predecessor which shared the underpinnings with its internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts.
As a complete breakaway model from the X3, the iX3 design has also embarked on a new direction. The proportion is that of a two-box design with strong presence and muscular wheel arches to emphasise the iX3’s all-wheel drive potential. The trademark BMW kidneys have reverted back to the vertical design from the 1960s, but modernised dramatically with the kidneys’ outline emphasised through light instead of chrome, providing distinctive accents in daylight and darkness. This new design language will be rolled out across the entire BMW model range.
But the drawcard is the interior, an all-new, super high-tech cabin space like nothing we have seen from BMW before, certainly not from segment in general. The modern, futuristic design mirrors that of the exterior, with passenger space said to be one of the largest in class thanks to the fully electric drive architecture.
The iX3 cabin debuts the new BMW Panoramic Vision, which projects information from A-pillar to A-pillar on a nano-coated black printed surface in the lower section of the windscreen and across its full width. The most important driving information is projected directly into the driver’s line of sight on the driver side of the Panoramic Vision, above the steering wheel. The driver can personalise content in the driver side and central areas of the Panoramic Vision. The way the Panoramic Vision is integrated into the dashboard creates a 3D effect for the driver and passengers.
Also making first application in a BMW model is the new Operating System X which is said to have been greatly improved to allow functions to be located quickly and enable intuitive operation. All icons shown on the 17.9-inch central display can be selected directly, for example the symbol for the low-beam headlights takes the user to the light settings.
Finally the BMW 3D Head-Up Display now shows integrated navigation and automated driving displays with three-dimensional image depth. Together with the BMW Panoramic Vision, the 3D Head-Up Display forms the new BMW cockpit design, where the conventional instrumentation binnacle is no more.
When the iX3 hits showrooms worldwide in 2026, the iX3 50 xDrive will be the line-up’s range topper. Its dual-motor setup, one at the front and another at the rear, generates a total output of 345kW and torque of 645Nm. It accelerates from zero to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds and can reach a top speed of 210km/h.
With a maximum charging rate of 400 kW, the new iX3 can add around 350 kilometres of range in just 10 minutes through a 800V DC rapid charging. With the same rapid charger, it can also charge from 10 to 80 per cent capacity in 21 minutes.
The iX3 is also designed for bidirectional charging: the optional Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) function turns the SUV into a mobile powerbank with a discharge rate of up to 3.7kW.
Australia-bound iX3 models are set for production in 2026, with deliveries to commence from the second-half of the year.
