BMW has uncovered its all-new iX3 SUV, setting new benchmarks for electric range while also taking the brand into a new era.

The first in a new family of ‘Neue Klasse’ models, the iX3 previews advanced design features and technologies that will shape the next generation of BMW vehicles, with 40 new or updated models to follow by the end of 2027.

As one of the longest-range BEVs on sale, it’s also a major new model for BMW in the corporate and fleet market.

First to arrive will be the iX3 50 xDrive all-wheel-drive version, with up to 805km (500 miles) of range from its 108.7kWh battery. The extensively upgraded electric all-wheel-drive configuration combines two motors for 469hp of power and 645Nm of torque, along with a 0-100km/h time of 4.9 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 210km/h (130mph).

Further variants will follow, including a new lead-in version, delivering rear-wheel drive and a cheaper entry point to the range.

The breakthrough in EV range is thanks to BMW’s sixth-generation eDrive technology, complete with inhouse-developed electric drive systems and high-voltage batteries featuring new cylindrical cells, which will be used across the group’s fully electric product range, including Mini and Rolls Royce models.

The all-new 800V architecture enables ultra-fast 400kW rapid charging, allowing drivers to load up 372km (231 miles) of range in just 10 minutes. That’s a 30% increase in charging speed compared with fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology. The iX3 50 xDrive can also top up on AC chargers at 11 kW as standard or 22k2 as an option.

Bidirectional charging is available as an option, marking its debut for the BMW brand and enabling drivers to charge personal devices at up to 3.7kW via vehicle-to-load capabilities or even power their homes, with vehicle-to-home capability of up to 11kW with a compatible wallbox.

The iX3 also debuts a “trailblazing” new electronics architecture powered by four “superbrains”, which pool their processing power for driving dynamics, automated driving, infotainment and comfort-enhancing functions. These also provide the basis for a new software architecture that can be continuously upgraded, and therefore designed to incorporate future functionality updates, including AI-enabled features.

Perhaps most of interest to drivers themselves will be the “Heart of Joy” driving dynamics system, which takes care of the drivetrain, brakes, energy recuperation and steering subfunctions, and processes information up to 10 times faster than conventional units, BMW says. This system also significantly improves efficiency, enabling 98% of braking manoeuvres in the iX3 to be performed solely by energy recuperation, while also delivering a “superbrain of automated driving” by bringing together all automated driving and parking functions.

Developments inside the cabin include the arrival of BMW Panoramic iDrive; the brand’s newest driver-focused cockpit design featuring a full-width windscreen display and powered by the BMW Operating System X. The system teams up a Panoramic Vision display, which spans the entire windscreen, along with an optional 3D head-up display, the new central display and a reimagined multi-function steering wheel. It’s said to “redefine the digital user experience and set new standards for intuitive, driver-focused interaction” centred around BMW’s “hands on the wheel, eyes on the road” principle.

The Operating System X additionally features a wide range of entertainment options for both road trips and charging stops. These include music streaming apps such as Spotify, in-car gaming through AirConsole, and a new video streaming app that offers access to Disney+, YouTube, and various international and country-specific on-demand and live video platforms. The Zoom App for video calls has also been integrated.

Alongside this, the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant has been significantly upgraded and now includes two new voices, a new appearance for the BMW Panoramic Vision and additional assistance for the driver through proactive suggestions and personalised routines.

The iX3 also introduces a completely new design language, retaining hallmark BMW styling features such as the kidney grille and twin headlights but also adding in bold design changes that will be adopted by the entire future BMW model line-up.

Boot capacity stands at 520 litres and rises to a maximum of 1,750 litres with the 40/20/40 folding rear seats down flat, while an additional storage compartment under the bonnet holds a further 58 litres of cargo. An electrically operated tow bar can be specified; the maximum towing capacity for the 50 xDrive model variant is 2,000kg.

Thanks to BMW’s ‘secondary first’ principle, which prioritises recycled over newly extracted raw materials where possible, around a third of the iX3 is made from secondary sources, including marine plastics, secondary aluminium and PET textiles. As a result, the new iX3 50 xDrive boasts a 30%-plus lower product carbon footprint (CO2e) over the vehicle life cycle than its predecessor.

The iX3 will be built at the newly constructed BMW Group Plant Debrecen in Hungary, the first BMW Group plant that does not use fossil fuels in normal operation.

The market launch of the new iX3 will get underway in Europe in spring 2026 and in the USA in summer 2026. Also starting in summer 2026 will be deliveries of a variant of the new iX3 produced at the Shenyang facility that has been tailored specifically to the needs and desires of customers in China.