BMW’s latest electrification push is going swimmingly, as demand for the all-new BMW iX3 – the first model built on the Neue Klasse electric vehicle (EV) platform – has exceeded even their own expectations.
The iX3 has already outsold its petrol-powered fourth-generation BMW X3 counterpart in Europe within six weeks of the former’s debut at the IAA Mobility Show in Munich, and now, BMW Blog reports that the EV SUV is already nearly sold out for 2026 in the continent.
Speaking at the BMW Group Sustainability Dinner, BMW Italy President and CEO Massimiliano Di Silvestre said that demand for the model in Europe has effectively accounted for almost all planned production for 2026.
“Our order backlog has far exceeded our expectations,” Di Silvestre noted. “If we consider Europe alone, I can tell you that orders cover almost all of our 2026 production.”
The BMW iX3 is currently being produced solely at the company’s brand-new Debrecen plant in Hungary. The new facility has an annual capacity of 150,000 vehicles a year, although it’s unclear when it’ll reach peak outputs, given that mass production only started in late October.
However, BMW is also planning to produce a long-wheelbase version of the iX3 in Shenyang, China, in 2026, as well as standard-wheelbase models at San Luis Potosi, Mexico, in 2027, the report adds.
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The BMW iX3 has been tipped for a local debut here in Malaysia sometime in 2026, with registrations of interest now open on the company’s website. At launch, it will be available solely in the iX3 50 xDrive variant, powered by a twin-motor powertrain providing 469 hp (345 kW) and 645 Nm in total. That translates to a century sprint in 4.9 seconds, onward to a top speed of 210 km/h.
A 108.7 kWh battery pack provides up to 805 km (WLTP) of driving range. Thanks to the 800V architecture, the batteries support up to 400 kW of DC fast charging, taking just 21 minutes to go from 10-80% – or gaining 372 km of range in just 10 minutes.
The BMW iX3 will most likely enter Malaysia as a fully imported model for the time being, although with its reported sales performance in Europe, it’s unclear how availability of the model will hold up here when it makes its debut next year.
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