Photo: Stefan Baldauf/SB-Medien
It’s been confirmed and spied time and again for the past couple of years, but the iX3 is nearing its the end development period. BMW will start production of the X3-like electric SUV in 2020, featuring a single electric motor driving the rear wheels with 286 PS and 400 Nm of torque.
That’s 282 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, and the e-motor is juiced up by a 74-kWh battery. Thanks to a power consumption of less than 20 kWh per 100 kilometers under the WLTP test cycle, BMW expects the iX3 to achieve more than 440 kilometers between charges.
273 miles of range is better than the Audi e-tron 55 quattro and Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 4Matic, the biggest rivals that BMW has to face in the segment. From 2021, BMW will enter the next stage of electrification with fifth-generation eDrive technology in the i4 and iNext.
RWD compared to AWD is one thing, but the iX3 also differs from the e-tron and EQC by means of origin. The Bavarians have decided to manufacture the electric utility vehicle in China with the help of JV partner BMW Brilliance Automotive at a facility outside of Shenyang.
The press release with the provisional information about the iX3 clearly states it doesn’t contain U.S.-specific market information. Fret not, however, because availability will extend to North America after Europe and China get the ball rolling. If previous reports are correct, then the complete nomenclature of the e-SUV is BMW iX3 sDrive75.
It’s also understood the internal codename for this model is closely related to the G08 long-wheelbase option, a China-only version of the X3 built by BMW in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The primary reason the G08 has been chosen as the basis for the iX3 instead of the G01 is that a longer wheelbase accommodates a larger battery in the floorpan.
The biggest question for the iX3, however, is how aggressive will BMW be in regards to pricing. Both the e-tron and EQC are somewhat prohibitive for the segment they’re playing in. The Jaguar I-Pace seems a steal compared to those two, and Tesla prepares to join the party with the Model Y next year as well. With rear-wheel drive and the Long Range option, the Y can be purchased from $48,000 excluding potential savings.
273 miles of range is better than the Audi e-tron 55 quattro and Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 4Matic, the biggest rivals that BMW has to face in the segment. From 2021, BMW will enter the next stage of electrification with fifth-generation eDrive technology in the i4 and iNext.
RWD compared to AWD is one thing, but the iX3 also differs from the e-tron and EQC by means of origin. The Bavarians have decided to manufacture the electric utility vehicle in China with the help of JV partner BMW Brilliance Automotive at a facility outside of Shenyang.
The press release with the provisional information about the iX3 clearly states it doesn’t contain U.S.-specific market information. Fret not, however, because availability will extend to North America after Europe and China get the ball rolling. If previous reports are correct, then the complete nomenclature of the e-SUV is BMW iX3 sDrive75.
It’s also understood the internal codename for this model is closely related to the G08 long-wheelbase option, a China-only version of the X3 built by BMW in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The primary reason the G08 has been chosen as the basis for the iX3 instead of the G01 is that a longer wheelbase accommodates a larger battery in the floorpan.
The biggest question for the iX3, however, is how aggressive will BMW be in regards to pricing. Both the e-tron and EQC are somewhat prohibitive for the segment they’re playing in. The Jaguar I-Pace seems a steal compared to those two, and Tesla prepares to join the party with the Model Y next year as well. With rear-wheel drive and the Long Range option, the Y can be purchased from $48,000 excluding potential savings.
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