Ahead of its debut at IAA Mobility 2025 in September, BMW has now revealed even more details of the upcoming BMW iX3, as the fully electric crossover undergoes final testing at Miramas, southern France.
Built on the Neue Klasse EV platform, The BMW iX3 will be the first of many things, including the new 6th-generation BMW eDrive powertrain, and the Neue Klasse control unit. This powertrain will feature battery cells that are 20% denser and directly integrated into the high-voltage battery pack (rather than in modules) for structural integrity.
The new batteries and the more efficient drivetrain has resulted in a significant increase in range, which BMW quotes as a whopping 800 km (WLTP) on the upcoming iX3. The batteries can also be recharged faster, too, thanks to the 800V system that will enable support of up to 400 kW inputs using DC charging.
At those speeds, BMW says the upcoming iX3 can gain up to 350km range in just 10 minutes. Charging at 400V stations will still be supported, but expect slower rates, of course.
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Along with the ridiculous charging capacity, the BMW iX3 also features an AI-assisted intelligent charging flap that can automatically open and close by recognising its environment.
When plugged in, it supports bidirectional charging capabilities with Vehicle-to-Load (V2L), Vehicle-to-Home (V2H), and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G), the latter of which turns the iX3 into an energy market. Depending on the market, the iX3 will also be offered with a new Wallbox (DC) charger capable of 19.2 kW charging and discharging.
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BMW assures that the dynamics of the car will be second to none with the feature of BMW’s “superbrain” Heart of Joy control unit. It governs all driving functions, including accelerating, regenerative braking, and steering, and can respond 10 times faster than previous systems. That results in fewer necessary control inputs and greater precision, which in turn results in a more dynamic handling characteristics befitting of a BMW.
The regenerative braking system has also been upgraded, and power recuperation can now apply to the whole speed range, down to a standstill. BMW says that in 98% of cases, the vehicle can be brought to a standstill without applying the friction brakes.
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BMW’s new Panoramic iDrive, powered by Operating System X, will also debut in the iX3. It presents key driving information within the driver’s line of sight while maintaining a balance between physical controls and digital functions. With BMW Cloud, it also supports over-the-air updates for both software and electronics.
Safety wise, the upcoming iX3 will feature a slew of new advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) features which merges the existing rule-based assistance system with a new AI based system. The Automated Driving system can process things 20 times faster than previous models. Standard safety systems for the upcoming iX3 include lane change warning, road priority warning, safe exit, and assisted view.
The car will also be fitted with cooperative steering and the “world’s first” cooperative braking. With this, the driver can influence the autonomous driving system at any moment by steering or braking to adjust the car’s driving path, without switching off the system completely.
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