New BMW iX3 to shake the EV world with huge 500-mile range
The UK’s longest EV range at a tasty price: BMW’s game-changing iX3 is here
The new BMW iX3 has broken cover, boasting 500 miles of range for £58,755, making it the longest-travelling electric car on sale in the UK. You read that right, not just for an SUV with all its aero compromises – for any car.
And that’s not all: this is for the mid-range, all-wheel-drive 50 xDrive model. Next year, BMW is expected to announce a rear-wheel-drive 40 variant, with a range gunning for 600 miles on a single charge. Range, charging speed, performance, weight, price – the new iX3 pulverises its rival Q6 e-tron on every metric, which could well have Audi reaching for a whisky.
The iX3’s engineers say this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to engineer a new generation of BMW, hence the project’s Neue Klasse name. The chassis, electric drivetrain, driver-assistance systems, cockpit experience, electronic architecture and software it introduces are all new – and all clothed in a fresh design.
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What does the new BMW iX3 look like?
The exterior explores a more minimalist direction than past BMWs, with fewer lines and Range Rover-style hidden window seals and pop-out door handles. “We believe this design effectively skips a generation of BMWs. It’s taken four years of work to design something very reduced, very clean, which hopefully looks effortless,” BMW group design boss Adrian van Hooydonk told Auto Express at a Munich preview. He took inspiration from the pared-back cars of legendary Lamborghini designer Marcelo Gandini.
The iX3 is the electric equivalent of the X3 SUV and similar in size: the e-SUV measures almost 4.8m long and stands just over 1.6m high. But its bulk is offset by standard 20-inch rims and gloss black detailing, while lighting – such as the horizontal strips running across the front and optional Iconic Glow kidney grilles – provides the highlighting accents once done by chrome.
BMW iX3: charging speeds, battery sizes and range
What’s under the skin is more revolutionary, starting with BMW’s sixth-generation electric drive system. The Neue Klasse introduces a new 800-volt electrical architecture, with 600 metres less wiring and Europe’s fastest DC public charging at 400kW. Auto Express watched a demonstration where a prototype iX3 guzzled 257 miles of range in just 10 minutes. Bidirectional charging will be offered too, with a series of converters to top up equipment on-the-go or discharge 11kW to power your home.
The battery uses new cylindrical cells that slot straight into the pack, which acts as the iX3’s floor structure, saving weight. The cells charge 30 per cent quicker and boast 20 per cent higher energy density than BMW’s current tech.
BMW plans to offer two battery sizes but has only announced the biggest, with a whopping 108.7kWh of usable capacity. Two new electric motor designs cut size, weight and energy consumption, while regenerative braking takes care of 98 per cent of decelerations, recouping energy. All these not-so marginal gains eke out up to 4.1 miles per kWH and that 500-mile range on the WLTP test cycle.
How fast is the new BMW iX3?
Not that the 50 xDrive prioritises efficiency over performance: combined max power is 463bhp and peak torque 645Nm to brush off the 0-62mph sprint in 4.9 seconds.
Auto Express drove an iX3 prototype on road and track and was blown away by its supreme comfort and agile handling: it drives like it’s way lighter than rivals. The 50 actually weighs about 2.2 tonnes but that’s still a 100kg advantage over Audi’s Q6. Indeed the equivalent sport quattro edition is a second slower from 0-62mph, 0.5 miles per kWh less efficient, travels a maximum of 382 miles, and currently costs £11k more. Ouch.
Critical to the iX3’s capability is its new electronic architecture, which boosts BMW processing power by a factor of 20 and has four digital “superbrain” computers to operate key functions. The most-feted is one BMW calls the “heart of joy”, which controls dynamic elements including the e-motors, steering, brakes and electronic safety systems. It processes myriad sensor messages in the blink of an eye to boost traction, quell understeer or oversteer, or bring the iX3 to an incredibly smooth halt.
The other superbrains manage the infotainment – featuring streaming apps such as Disney+ and YouTube, and in-car gaming – routine functions including climate control and lighting, and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. AI-assisted automated overtaking and allowing the car to stray over white lines if it detects driver intent makes BMW’s system more sympathetic and less irritating – as we found out during an ADAS prototype drive.
Designing the iX3 from the ground-up also enabled the engineers to boost the amount of recycled content, and make the car easier to dismantle at the end of its life. BMW says the car’s supply chain benefits from a 35 per cent reduction in its carbon footprint, and the iX3’s more energy-intense production phase will be wiped out versus a petrol X3 after just 12,428 miles.
What does the BMW iX3's interior look like?
The cabin also marks a step change for BMW, with the introduction of its Panoramic iDrive system. This is a high-set digital display that runs the full width of the dashboard, bringing key information such as your speed and electric range right into the line of sight, with the rest fully configurable to driver and passenger preference.
It’s supplemented by an optional head-up display with animations that count down the distance to a turn, and a large asymmetric touchscreen as well as a few physical switches. Deep glass, light colours and upholstered dashboards are designed to make the cabin feel welcoming rather than overloaded with tech, despite the dominant digital features. The boot capacity is 520 litres, expanding to 1,750 litres with the rear seats folded.
The £59k base iX3 has heated and six-way-adjustable electric seats, wireless charging, leather-free Econeer upholstery, dual-zone climate control and standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. M Sport models add BMW’s trademark bodykit, ambient lighting and a sportier interior, while the flagship trim is M Sport Pro. First UK deliveries will take place in March 2026.
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