BMW has revealed the all-new iX3, the first in its Neue Klasse series of electric cars built on the brand’s sixth generation eDrive tech. The headline figures are impressive alright: the all-electric “sports activity vehicle” (BMW-talk for an SUV that never leaves the road) arrives with a chart-topping official range of 500 miles, ultra-fast 400kW charging and a fancy new suite of interior tech.
The BMW iX3 50 xDrive will start from £58,755 in the UK when it launches on 7 March, 2026.
Described by BMW chairman Oliver Zipse as the company’s “biggest future-focused project,” the Neue Klasse generation represents a complete rethink of the car. BMW calls it “a huge leap forward in terms of technologies, driving experience and design.” The iX3 is the first of 40 new models and updates that will incorporate these upgrades by 2027.
At the heart of the new iX3 is BMW’s sixth-generation eDrive technology. This combines efficient new electric motors with an 800V architecture and new cylindrical battery cells. The result is a WLTP range of up to 500 miles for the iX3 50 xDrive, making it the longest-range EV on sale in the UK at launch.
The 800V system also enables a maximum DC charging rate of 400kW, allowing drivers to add up to 231 miles of range in just ten minutes, while a 10-80 per cent charge takes around 21 minutes. Most UK chargers top out at 400V, though the infrastructure is quickly catching up to meet the demands of the fastest charging EVs. The launch model iX3 uses an all-wheel-drive system to get you from 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds.
The interior looks to be a radical departure from current BMWs, with a new Panoramic iDrive head-up display projecting information across the entire width of the windscreen. Four so-called “superbrain” computers – one of them delightfully dubbed the “Heart of Joy” – control vehicle functions, from driving dynamics and energy recuperation to infotainment and braking.
The iX3 also introduces a new exterior design language that pays homage to the original 1960s Neue Klasse, with precise and well-defined lines, expansive glass surfaces and a more upright front end featuring a modernised BMW kidney grille and twin headlights.
The new BMW iX3 50 xDrive will be available in three trim levels – iX3, iX3 M Sport, and iX3 M Sport Pro – all with 20in alloy wheels and heated front seats as standard. More variants, including a new entry-level model, are set to follow the initial launch in 2026.
