BMW iX3: A new kind of electric dream

The new-generation BMW iX3 is no mere electric replacement for a petrol model. BMW has used it to introduce its Neue Klasse technology, design and software. The result: it feels like a step into the next chapter of the BMW brand. More importantly, it remains a BMW that is enjoyable to drive. Calling it a dream to drive might sound a little dramatic but, after spending time behind the wheel, it is difficult to find a better description.

The iX3 50 xDrive is the first version to arrive in South Arrica, with 345kW and electric all-wheel drive. Put foot on the accelerator and it gets on with the business of moving a substantial SAV (sports activity vehicle) with enthusiasm.

The numbers are equally serious. BMW quotes an electric consumption figure of 17.9 to 15.1kWh/100 km and a WLTP range of between 679 and 820km, depending on specification and conditions. That upper figure is particularly useful, because it changes the conversation around electric travel. A long journey does not have to become an elaborate exercise in charger planning.

The iX3 can accept a charge of up to 400kW, provided there is access to a charger capable of delivering it. BMW says this gives the car the ability to add a substantial amount of range in a short period.

But the technology story goes considerably further than the battery and motors.

As the first production BMW based on the Neue Klasse architecture, BMW has given the iX3 a completely new electronic and software foundation. Four high-performance computers, referred to by BMW as “superbrains”, handle different areas of the vehicle. That might sound like something from a science-fiction movie, but the effect is much more apparent when sitting in the driver’s seat and interacting with the car.

BMW Panoramic iDrive is one of the biggest changes, as BMW has rethought the way information is presented to the driver. The system is designed to keep important information within the driver’s line of sight, while providing access to the functions expected from a modern BMW.

It takes some getting used to because there is a lot going on, but that is also part of the appeal. The iX3 feels more like a piece of constantly evolving technology than a conventional car with a screen bolted into the middle of the dashboard. In other words, the iX3 does not feel like an enormous electric appliance: it feels like a BMW.

Electric vehicles can be exceptionally quick, but speed alone does not make a car entertaining. The iX3 manages to retain the sense of involvement that is central to BMW, while taking advantage of the instant response and flexibility of electric power.

BMW says the iX3 has a product carbon footprint that is more than 30% lower over its life cycle than that of its predecessor. The Neue Klasse programme places greater emphasis on circularity and the use of recycled materials. It is an important reminder that reducing the environmental impact of an electric vehicle involves far more than replacing a petrol engine with a battery.

Production of the iX3 has also moved into new territory for BMW. The car is built at the company’s newly constructed plant in Debrecen, Hungary, which becomes the home of the first Neue Klasse model.

BMW plans to introduce the technologies developed for Neue Klasse across around 40 new models and model updates between now and 2027.

For me, the clever electronics, huge range and rapid charging are only part of the attraction. The iX3 gets the important bit right: it is a technologically advanced electric SUV, but it still feels like a BMW from behind the wheel.

And that is what makes driving it such a dream.

• Pricing: 

BMW iX3 50 xDrive – R1,690,000.

BMW iX3 40 – R1,498,000.

* Sheryl Goldstuck is general manager of World Wide Worx and editor of GadgetWheels. Follow her on Bluesky on @crazycatbuzz.bsky.social.