The new BMW iX3

From BMW Press Release

Now with a more visually striking appearance, the new BMW iX3 has undergone an exterior design refresh and introduced the M Sport Package as standard in the UK, further enhancing the already high specification.

The BMW kidney grille is now larger than before and has a single-piece frame which comes in Pearl-effect Chrome with a blue accent – in familiar BMW i style – along the inner edges, whilst the inner surfaces of the kidney grille elements have a mesh-like structure and feature a BMW i badge.

The headlight contours are now ten millimetres slimmer, helping to give the new BMW iX3 a sharper look and lending the front end a distinct similarity to that of the BMW iX and BMW i4.

The lower air intake, which comes with ten-stage active air flap control to cool the drive system components and brakes, has gained in size. The air curtains positioned at the outer edges of the front end are now L-shaped and have blue accents. Air breathers in the front side panels also have a new M-specific design, while the blue accent in the side skirts is omitted. Muscular and aerodynamically optimised surfacing marks out the rear apron of the new BMW iX3. The outer elements of the rear diffuser are in BMW i Blue and the contours of the fully LED rear lights are marked out even more precisely by a black surround. The striking design at night is defined by the slim light graphic and new three-dimensional pincer-shaped contouring with delicately integrated, horizontal turn signal indicators.

BMW iX3 deploys BMW Group’s fifth-generation eDrive technology including an innovative charging unit, which sends power to both the 400V battery and the 12V on-board power supply. When charging using alternating current, it enables both single-phase and three-phase charging at up to 11 kW. Plugging the vehicle into a direct current rapid-charging station opens the door to charging outputs of up to 150 kW, meaning the high-voltage battery can be charged from 0 to 80 per cent of its full capacity in 34 minutes. Drivers can inject the power required to add 62 miles to the car’s driving range (in the WLTP cycle) in just 10 minutes.

The gravimetric energy density of the 188 prismatic cells in the new BMW iX3 is around 20 per cent higher than that of the battery cells used in previous fully- electric BMW Group vehicles. A gross energy content of 80 kWh – of which 74 kWh is utilised – and the high efficiency of the drive systems allow the BMW iX3 to offer a range of up to 286 miles* (WLTP test cycle).

Model

Max Power (hp)

Peak Torque (Nm)

Acceleration (0-62mph)

Top Speed (mph)

Range (miles)

Electric Power Consumption (kWh/62 miles)

iX3 M
Sport

286

400

6.8 seconds

112

281 –
286*

18.9 – 18.5*

iX3 M
Sport Pro

286

400

6.8 seconds

112

281 –
286*

18.9 – 18.5*

*All figures relating to output, charging capacity, charging times, performance, energy consumption and range are provisional and based on the standard specification in Germany.

BMW iX3 M Sport or BMW iX3 M Sport Pro customers will have the choice of four exterior metallic body paint colours including Carbon Black, Mineral White, Phytonic Blue and Sophisto Grey. Black High Gloss exterior trim will be offered as standard alongside 19” Black aerodynamic wheels, automatic tailgate, adaptive suspension, heated steering wheel and panoramic sunroof completing the exterior look of the BMW iX3 M Sport.

Vernasca leather in a choice of four colours, Sensatec dashboard, sun protection glazing, ambient lighting and electric seats are offered as standard within the vehicle interior, enhancing comfort and style. Additional standard features include M Sport Package, wireless phone charging, heated front seats and the brand’s very latest driver assistance technology, including Driving Assistant Professional, Parking Assistant and BMW Live Cockpit Professional.

For customers choosing the BMW iX3 M Sport Pro, additional standard features include BMW Head-up Display, Harman Kardon surround sound, Gesture Control, Parking Assistant Plus, darkened headlights, Automatic high beam assistant, Comfort access and Lumbar support. BMW IconicSounds Electric, developed in collaboration with Hans Zimmer, completes the extensive offering.

BMW Charging
With the launch of BMW Charging in the UK, BMW iX3 customers have access to one of the world’s largest public charging networks using just one RFID card or App. Using a single BMW Charging card or BMW Charging App, customers can charge at more than 11,000 charging points from different operators across the UK, as well as 173,000 charge points across Europe.

BMW iX3 drivers benefit from access to charge points from a range of operators, with the current network including bp pulse (including ChargeYourCar), ESB, Osprey, Source London and Chargepoint Network UK (including INSTAVOLT) and others. High-power charging stations via IONITY are also part of the BMW Charging network. Combined, this gives drivers access to over 8,500 AC and 1,500 DC charging points across the UK, plus a further 162,000 AC and 11,000 DC charging points across Europe.

For drivers who use public charging more frequently, BMW Charging offers two additional monthly subscription packages. The ‘bp pulse’ package (£7.85 permonth) offers customers preferential pricing per/kWh when charging at over 5,500 bp pulse charging points. Customers using up to 22kW AC pay just £0.16 per kWh, up to 43kW AC or 50kW DC is £0.23 per kWh, and up to 150kW DC at
£0.27 per kWh.

For drivers who use the IONITY charging network, the ‘IONITY Plus’ package (£11.30 per month) provides access to a preferential rate of just £0.26 per kWh, saving drivers £0.43 per kWh compared to the pay-as-you-go rate when using up to 350kW DC charging.

Customers who purchase a new BMW iX3 vehicle via a BMW Centre are eligible for both the ‘bp pulse’ and ‘IONITY Plus’ packages for 12 months, without subscription fee.

Trailblazing: Digital services and outstanding environmental credentials. BMW assumed a leading role in driving forward electric mobility when it unveiled innovative solutions for charging at home or on the move alongside the introduction of BMW i3 in 2013. This trend continues with the BMW iX3, which includes a newly developed Flexible Fast Charger cable which can be hooked up to both standard domestic and industrial sockets using optional adapters.

Recharging at home is further enhanced with a personal Wallbox. Available through our partner, Smart solutions are also available to monitor energy usage and cost, as well as keeping a historic record of home-charging energy expenditure, making it very convenient for company car users.

BMW Maps
The cloud-based BMW Maps navigation system enables route and arrival times to be calculated with even greater speed and precision. Services already familiar from the BMW i3, such as navigation with range display on the map and detailed information on public charging stations – covering everything from address, availability and connector type through to charging rate and Chargepoint Operator - are now joined by additional functionality that can be accessed from the car.

This capability includes navigation planning with recommendations for charging stops, information on points of interest near public charging stations and the ability to filter search results by fast-charging points.

The exceptionally efficient drive system, extensive use of secondary raw materials in the manufacture of aluminium castings and thermoplastics, absence of rare earths and across-the-board use of green electricity in production, including the cells for the high-voltage battery, are all contributory factors in the impressive CO2 assessment for the new BMW iX3.

During the customer-use phase, the iX3 outperforms the diesel-powered BMW X3 xDrive 20d by more than 30 per cent when drawing on average European electricity sources or roughly 60 per cent when powered by green electricity.

BMW Operating System 7 and BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant.
The BMW iX3 is equipped with the latest generation BMW Operating System 7, which allows for every line of software code in the car to be updated over the air in the future. The standard-fit BMW Live Cockpit Professional offers a fully-digital screen grouping comprising a high-resolution 12.3 inch instrument cluster behind the steering wheel and a 12.3-inch Central Control Display.

The enhanced intuitive multimodal interaction allows the driver to take their pick of control interface for the situation at hand: Control Display touchscreen, iDrive Controller, multifunction buttons on the steering wheel, voice control or BMW gesture control.

The latest version of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant takes the connection between driver and car to a new level in the new BMW iX3. Activated by a spoken prompt (for example “Hey BMW”) or at the touch of a button, this digital companion acquires new capabilities all the time. The system helps the driver, learns their preferences and is familiar with their favoured settings – e.g. for the seat heating or the places they drive to frequently using the navigation system (“Take me home”).

Smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
BMW Live Cockpit Professional comes with optimised smartphone integration; in addition to Apple CarPlay, the new iX3 is also compatible with Android Auto.

The latter enables customers to access digital services such as Google Assistant, Google Maps, music streaming services like Spotify and Amazon Music, and the WhatsApp messaging service.

The BMW iX3 M Sport is available to order now from retailers nationwide, with pricing from £59,730 OTR. The BMW iX3 M Sport Pro is offered from £62,730 OTR. The first UK customer deliveries will commence from December 2021.

Specifications link here