The new BMW iX3 has a lot of weight on its shoulders, as the first of a new line of Neue Klasse EVs that will come to define a new era for the Ultimate Driving Machine. Thankfully, then, new details coming from Munich indicate that the SUV, polarising as it will be, will set new standards for the brand.
Bearing the codename NA5 (has BMW run out of letters already?), the second-generation model will feature the carmaker’s Gen6 motors and battery packs, the latter utilising cylindrical cells with a 20% higher energy density compared to the outgoing prismatic units. These cells are installed directly into the pack rather than assembled into modules first and form an integral part of the car’s structure.
This, along with the more efficient motors, will result in a significant boost in range, up from a fairly average 461 km to a whopping 800 km. That range will be replenished faster, too, thanks to an 800-volt electrical architecture enabling up to 400 kW of DC fast charging support. So equipped, users can gain over 350 km of range with just ten minutes of charging. And in a slap in the new Mercedes-Benz CLA‘s face, BMW added that “charging at 400-volt DC charging stations will, of course, still be possible.”
Helping to make charging more convenient is a charging port door that automatically opens if it senses an intention to charge, then closing once charging is finished. This is partly AI-powered – it will open upon approaching a familiar or learned charging station.
The new iX3 will also incorporate a vehicle-to-load (V2L) function at up to 3.7 kW in Europe, along with bidirectional charging, vehicle-to-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G), potentially helping to reduce energy costs. Complementing these features is a new DC home wallbox that can charge and discharge the car at up to 19.2 kW depending on the market.
As previously reported, the iX3 will make use of a new chassis central computer called the Heart of Joy, a “superbrain” that integrates the powertrain, brakes, recuperation and steering sub-functions, in concert with the Dynamic Performance Control software.
This system processes information up to ten times faster than previous systems, allowing for fewer necessary control inputs and greater precision and directional stability. As such, the car will corner more consistently and can be steered more intuitively. Regenerative braking now works right down to a standstill – in fact, BMW says the car will not need to touch the friction brakes in 98% of deceleration cases.
The improvements also extend to driver assistance, with the latest sensor, software, processor and mobile broadband technology headed by a “Superbrain of Automated Driving” with a 20% faster processing speed. Standard kit includes blind spot monitoring, stop sign and wrong-way detection, a door opening warning and an Assisted View showing surrounding vehicles and pedestrians in the instrument display.
A new motorway assistant with automatic lane change will be offered as an option, building on the existing adaptive cruise control and lane centring assist by enabling highway hands-off semi-autonomous driving, even when switching highways. City Assistant does the same in urban areas, providing steering support through tight turns and roundabouts; it can even stop and start the car at traffic lights.
The iX3 will also debut a world’s first cooperative braking function, which lets drivers brake lightly without disabling the adaptive cruise control entirely. Meanwhile, there are new AI-powered park assist functions including improved parking space recognition and manoeuvre planning, with users now gaining access to more 360-degree camera views to avoid dinging the car while parking.
We’ve also previously detailed the new Panoramic iDrive display concept that will make its debut on the iX3, featuring a new rhomboid-shaped mini-LED infotainment touchscreen and the headlining full-width Panoramic Vision that spans from A-pillar to A-pillar. There’s also an optional 3D head-up display and a “Shy-tech” multifunction steering wheel with hidden-until-lit capacitive buttons and active haptic feedback.
The whole shebang will run on the new BMW Operating System X, which will come with “extensive customisability, intelligent support for the driver and extensive software updates.” The company promises a “well-balanced” mix of physical and digital (i.e. touchscreen) controls, in line with its new motto of “Hands on the Wheel, Eyes on the Road.”
As is the trend these days, AI will permeate every aspect of the new iX3, including the improved Intelligent Personal Assistant voice control. More powerful BMW Cloud computing will also enable new smart features that will be added via over-the-air updates over time.
The new NA5 BMW iX3 will be revealed at the Munich Motor Show in September, with production kicking off at a new plant in Debrechen, Hungary at the end of the year.
