BMW’s setting a bold new standard for electric SUVs, and starting off the proceedings is the freshly unveiled iX3, the first vehicle built on its futuristic “Neue Klasse” platform. If you were hoping the next wave of EVs would bring bigger batteries, smarter software, and charging you barely have to wait for, well, BMW just delivered.
Let’s get right to the headline stuff. The iX3 is rocking BMW’s new 800-volt architecture, letting you add up to 230 miles of range in just 10 minutes, thanks to 400kW charging. Under the floor sits a next-gen cylindrical battery that promises over 400 miles of EPA-estimated driving range—less than BMW teased a couple years back, but enough to place it near the very top of the EV leaderboard. Even better? These new batteries are 30 percent quicker to charge, 20 percent more energy-dense, and 50 percent cheaper to make.
Performance isn’t left out of the equation either. The first iX3 model hitting dealerships—badged 50 xDrive—sports all-wheel drive, 463 horsepower, and can zip drivers around with serious muscle. Expect a starting price of $60,000 when US sales begin in mid-2026.
But it’s what’s under the hood (and behind the screens) that really breaks new ground. BMW’s loaded the iX3 with no less than four onboard “superbrains”—superfast computers (including the oddly named “Heart of Joy”) that manage everything from the motors to navigation to the dash displays. Forget a clutter of separate controllers—this black box streamlines power, stability, and drive feel for a smoother, more reactive ride. Over-the-air software updates mean your EV only gets smarter with time.
Step inside and you’re greeted with BMW’s sharp Panoramic iDrive system, connecting the instrument cluster, head-up display, and a central screen all in one swoop. The interface runs on BMW’s own Android-based OS, and key features—like HVAC and volume—still use tactile knobs and buttons so you don’t have to dig around while driving.
From digital keys you can store on your phone or smartwatch, to wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the iX3 is fully future-proof. Even small touches show BMW’s attention: sensors that automatically illuminate the interior if you drop something or a charging flap that opens when you approach with a plug.
The new styling is more refined—spot the slimmer, vertically aligned kidney grille—and the body size sits comfortably between the current i4 and gas-powered X3. BMW’s hoping this SUV can help it catch rivals like Tesla, Lucid, and a raft of increasingly techy Chinese competitors.
Will it succeed? Only time and test drives will tell. But with cutting-edge range, show-off fast charging, smart tech, and a design that looks the part, the iX3 could become the blueprint for BMW’s next forty EVs.
