BMW’s iX3 has arrived in US showrooms as the first American-market model built on the company’s new Neue Klasse platform, and it lands with an EPA-rated range that puts it ahead of most rivals in its class.
The Neue Klasse Platform
Neue Klasse is BMW’s from-the-ground-up architecture for electric cars, built around a new battery chemistry, an 800-volt electrical system and a simplified wiring harness compared with the automaker’s earlier EVs. BMW designed the platform to be shared across sedans, SUVs and future performance models rather than adapted from a combustion-engine chassis.
What Changes for Drivers
- An EPA-rated 400 miles of range on the long-range rear-wheel-drive version
- Charging from 10 to 80 percent in about 21 minutes on a compatible fast charger
- A new interface BMW calls Panoramic Vision, projecting information across the base of the windshield
- Standard all-wheel drive on the xDrive50 trim, with more than 460 combined horsepower
Pricing
The iX3 starts at $58,800 before incentives, with the performance-oriented xDrive50 trim starting near $67,500. BMW says deliveries to US customers are already underway, with the first cars reaching dealers this month.
