The next era of BMW will begin in September with the arrival of the first Neue Klasse electric car: the iX3 SUV.
Confirmed to be revealed at the Munich motor show ahead of sales starting early next year, the SUV - which we've already driven in protoype form - marks major milestones for BMW, as it introduces advanced underpinnings and a design that will be adopted across the rest of the brand.
It will go up against the forthcoming electric Mercedes-Benz GLC – a car that will also be revealed at Munich. The pair will fight for a foothold in Europe’s most hotly contested new car segment in a bid to increase EV sales in the face of tightening emissions regulations.
The new iX3 will be followed soon after by an electric BMW 3 Series saloon, although a date for this unveiling has yet to be confirmed.
Previewed last year by the bold Neue Klasse Vision X concept, the second-generation iX3 will be sold alongside the current, fourth-generation petrol X3 and sit on the all-new Neue Klasse architecture.
As a result, the new iX3 will have slimmer batteries, more efficient motors and clever technology that BMW claims will be a “quantum leap forward” from today’s electric offerings.
The size of its nickel-manganese-cobalt pack – which features new cylindrical cells – has yet to be disclosed, but BMW said the iX3 will offer a range of 497 miles – 210 miles more than the first-generation iX3.
That would make the new iX3 Britain’s longest-range EV, going even farther than the new Mercedes-Benz CLA EQ saloon, which currently tops the charts at 484 miles.
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I'm old enough to remember when 8 Track was a new thing in cars, a Radio wasn't standard either nor built and Aircon involved winding a window down,today we're spoilt lazy we expect that car computer to sort it program everything just so and when it doesn't we throw a hissy fit and blame technology when infact most times it's us the human interface who has fckd up,anyway, like ICE Cars they won't disappear overnight when the 2035 Axe falls, the same with controls inside there will still be some around, im not rolling over and going with the flow,but this your kids future they'll deal with it are dealing with it now at School on the mobile etc.
A decent leap in EV technology (excellent)... but sitting on top of it all is another unattractive BMW with a haptic button controlled interior and a steering square (not so excellent). For those of you not old enough to remember, BMW used to be much better at this "car" thing...
Keep it basic. It might look good on a show stand but on the road....no thanks.
Also agree. BMW now seem to do technically good cars with awful looks and poorly designed interiors.
It looks as if its Cd figure will not be very low re aerodynamic efficiency.