- The BMW iX3 50 xDrive is the first Neue Klasse production model, launching first in Europe from 2026.
- It offers up to 805km WLTP range, 400kW DC fast-charging and a dual-motor 345kW powertrain.
- Built in Hungary, the iX3 uses recycled materials and achieves a 34% lower lifetime CO₂ footprint.
BMW has pulled the wraps off its first series-produced Neue Klasse model: the fully electric iX3 50 xDrive.
Due to start production in Debrecen, Hungary in November 2025, the next-generation SUV promises a step change in design, digital smarts and efficiency.
Oliver Zipse, BMW’s chairman, called it a “once in a lifetime moment“ and a “huge leap in terms of technologies, driving experience and design,” adding: “What started as a bold vision has now become reality: the BMW iX3 is the first Neue Klasse model to go into series production”.
Power comes from sixth-generation eDrive technology with a combined 345kW and 645Nm. The twin-motor setup (rear synchronous, front asynchronous) sends the iX3 to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds, capped at 210km/h. Range is claimed at 805km on WLTP testing, with DC fast-charging at 400kW adding as much as 372km in ten minutes.
A new look, a new language
Designers leaned on BMW heritage while keeping things future-forward. The upright nose wears vertically stacked kidneys referencing the Neue Klasse of the 1960s, now flanked by horizontal light signatures in place of chrome.
Flush glazing, hidden door handles and wide arches give the SUV its presence, while the rear’s stretched LED tail-lamps form a sharp L-graphic.
Inside, the “floating” dash flows into wrap-around door trims, amplified by backlit fabric panels and an optional panoramic roof. Space benefits from the EV-specific architecture, with generous rear legroom and a flat floor.
BMW Panoramic iDrive headlines the tech, ditching conventional dials for an ultra-wide projected display, a free-cut centre screen and a new multifunction wheel. With large-language-model tech baked into the Intelligent Personal Assistant, the car’s digital side is smarter (and chattier) than ever.
Smarter stops and symbiotic drive
Under the skin, four “superbrains” control everything from chassis dynamics to infotainment. The “Heart of Joy” software stack balances traction, recuperation and suspension inputs for a more natural drive, with BMW boasting that 98% of daily braking is handled by regen alone. A “Soft Stop” mode even claims the smoothest halt ever in a BMW.
Assistance systems now extend to a Motorway Assistant that lets drivers take hands off the wheel for long stretches, plus a City Assistant that spots traffic lights and handles stop-and-go. The world-first “symbiotic brakes” merge human input with AI predictions, blurring the line between driver and system.
Built for the long haul
BMW says the iX3’s lifetime CO₂ footprint is 34% lower than its predecessor, with break-even against a combustion SUV achievable after just 21,500 km, or even quicker with renewable charging. One-third of the car is made from secondary raw materials, including marine plastics, recycled PET and aluminium alloys. The Debrecen plant itself operates without fossil fuels under normal conditions.
With 40 more models to adopt Neue Klasse tech by 2027, including combustion models, the iX3 sets the template: more digital, more efficient, still unmistakably BMW.
