- Expected to be called the iX3, this electric BMW crossover will ride on the company’s new Neue Klasse platform.
- The SUV appears to sport a similar front end to last year’s Vision Neue Klasse concept, with the headlights and grille trim joined in one full-width section.
- We think the iX3 could arrive in the United States by 2026.
Last year, BMW hinted at its next generation of electric vehicles with the Vision Neue Klasse concept, a funky looking sedan that is expected to morph into an electric 3-series for 2026. Now, our spy photographer has captured images of the Neue Klasse’s bigger SUV brother, which should reach production as the iX3, testing in wintry conditions.
Underneath the camouflage, the design seems to echo familiar themes to the sedan concept. A slight smile stretches across the SUV’s face, encapsulating both the headlights and grille trim. If the concept is anything to go by, the latter will likely be separated in the middle to create BMW’s iconic “kidney grille” look. The SUV’s body looks longer and lower than the current X3, with the wheels pushed out to the corners of the vehicle.
BMW has been selling an iX3 in Europe and China since 2020, but this next-generation version is expected to finally make it to the United States. It will ride on the same flexible Neue Klasse platform as the sedan, and BMW has plans for at least six vehicles on this platform within the first two years of production.
The platform is said to use an 800-volt electrical architecture and batteries that have 20 percent higher energy density. BMW says the range will be up to 30 percent better than the automaker’s current EV powertrains, and we expect the iX3 to easily eclipse 300 miles per charge. The BMW iX3 should arrive in the United States by 2026.
Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.