BMW has introduced the 2026 iX3, the first production model built on its new Neue Klasse electric-vehicle platform. Revealed at the Munich Motor Show, the electric SUV brings a dedicated EV architecture, a promised range of 400 miles and a starting price of around $60,000. U.S. production is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2026, with deliveries expected to start next summer.

The iX3 will be sold alongside the gasoline-powered X3 rather than replacing it. That makes the new model a major shift for BMW, which has generally built electric and combustion-powered vehicles on shared platforms. The iX3 is the first of several BMW models planned for the Neue Klasse family.

Powertrain and performance

The launch version, called the iX3 50 xDrive, uses two electric motors producing 463 horsepower and 473 pound-feet of torque. BMW claims a 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 130 mph.

BMW developed the motors in-house and says they avoid permanent magnets. Compared with the company’s previous motors, the new units are 40 percent more efficient, 10 percent lighter and 20 percent less expensive to manufacture. The battery cells are also 20 percent more energy-dense than BMW’s current cells.

The chassis uses MacPherson struts up front and a new multi-link rear axle. Weight distribution is 48.6 percent front and 51.4 percent rear, although BMW has not provided a curb-weight figure. Standard wheels measure 20 inches, with 21- and 22-inch options available through the M Sport package.

800-volt charging and new electrical architecture

The Neue Klasse platform introduces BMW’s first 800-volt architecture. The iX3 can accept up to 400 kilowatts of DC fast-charging power, adding about 230 miles of range in 10 minutes when connected to a charger capable of delivering that output.

The iX3 is also BMW’s first vehicle with a NACS charging port and its first to support bidirectional charging. That feature allows the vehicle to power external electronics. A CCS adapter will be included as standard.

BMW says the iX3 is its first software-defined vehicle. Four centralized computers, which BMW calls “superbrains,” control functions that traditionally would have been distributed across numerous separate control units. One, called the “Heart of Joy,” combines powertrain, braking, steering and suspension management.

Design, technology and availability

The exterior takes cues from the Neue Klasse and Neue Klasse X concepts, as well as BMW sedans and coupes from the 1960s. It features quad headlights, slim kidney grilles and separate rear light units rather than a full-width light bar. The kidney grilles can illuminate when the M Sport Professional package is selected.

Inside, the iX3 replaces a conventional instrument cluster with a wide display positioned at the base of the windshield. A hexagonal center touchscreen runs BMW’s Operating System X. The familiar iDrive rotary controller is not included.

Adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist are standard. BMW’s hands-off highway-driving system will be optional, with the automaker saying drivers can override the assistance without causing the system to shut off abruptly.

BMW will build the iX3 at its new plant in Debrecen, Hungary, while U.S. production is planned for early 2026. The promised base price of around $60,000 places it about $10,000 above the current four-cylinder X3 and roughly $5,000 below the six-cylinder X3 M50.