BMW chairman Oliver Zipse presents the launch of the iX3 Neue Klasse in MunichJames Morris
BMW’s long-awaited Neue Klasse is lastly right here. The primary member of the brand new period is unsurprisingly an SUV (or SAV as BMW calls its variations), and the newest automotive to be known as a BMW iX3, launched forward of the IAA Mobility 2025 present in Munich. In an more and more difficult market, can this new electrical lineage maintain the German automaking big aggressive? I requested BMW Chairman Oliver Zipse and different key senior administration figures.
What Is The BMW IX3 Neue Klasse?
BMW’s new platform ought to actually have been known as the Neue Neue Klasse, as a result of the unique Neue Klasse arrived within the Sixties, giving us iconic classics such because the 2002. On the time, BMW had been producing excessive luxurious automobiles that had been stunning just like the 503 and 507 however not promoting in enough volumes, alongside decrease value bikes and motorcycle-based automobiles just like the Isetta. The corporate wanted one thing in between to outlive, and the Neue Klasse was born, concentrating on a extra worthwhile mid-range premium market.
That Neue Klasse saved BMW from impending monetary doom. Nonetheless, whereas the previous couple of years haven’t been probably the most profitable within the firm’s historical past, the present state of affairs isn’t existentially dire for BMW prefer it was within the Sixties. Nonetheless, the automotive business is in a state of flux. Not solely are vehicles electrifying, however they’re additionally changing into computerized know-how merchandise (or “Software program Outlined Autos”). Then there’s the rising risk from China. The brand new Neue Klasse is meant to deal with all three, and the iX3 is its first fruit.
“This isn’t an organization savior, and we’re not in disaster,” says Zipse. “However the intention could be very comparable. The unique Neue Klasse was a brand new design language and new know-how. It was the primary time we produced a automotive between the very costly higher section and the decrease section. It redefined what BMW nonetheless is at this time. ‘The Pleasure of Driving’ was coined throughout that point. It was a brand new begin in product technique. That is why we reused the time period Neue Klasse once more.”
The brand new Neue Klasse harks again to a earlier gamechanging transfer from BMW within the 1960sJames Morris
The brand new iX3 is a major step up in specification from the unique iX3. The launch iX3 50 mannequin combines an enormous 108.7kWh (web) battery able to 500 WLTP miles of vary with a dual-motor system delivering 469hp. This allows a 0-62mph dash of 4.9 seconds. The 800V system offers DC charging as much as 400kW, near the quickest at the moment obtainable (the forthcoming replace of the XPENG G6 manages 451kW). There are additionally Automobile-to-Load, Automobile-to-Dwelling and Automobile-to-Grid bidirectional charging talents. That is mixed with handy plug-and-charge capabilities the place you’ll be able to add as much as 10 accounts and a charging port that opens routinely when it senses you’re about to plug within the cable.
BMW used to make use of prismatic batteries, however the change to cylindrical has given it 20% extra volumetric vitality density, 30% sooner charging and 30% extra vary than the earlier era. “Drive additional, cost sooner, that is the quick abstract,” says Florian Preuß, Senior Vice President, Excessive-Voltage Battery and Charging. “The Gen6 BMW cylindrical cell has a a lot greater vitality density.” It is a 4695 cell, which is identical diameter as Tesla’s 4680 however a little bit longer, giving it larger vitality capability.
“Environment friendly dynamics can also be a core competence of BMW,” provides Preuß. “We don’t need to maintain making the battery greater. Then we go from cell to pack to open physique, which could be very environment friendly. Having no modules between cell and pack consumes much less area and improves vitality density. The lid of the battery pack is the underside of the automotive, which saves peak and weight. We are able to additionally do sporty vehicles with a low middle of gravity and nonetheless have plenty of room inside.”
BMW IX3: Nonetheless All About Driving
Nonetheless, whereas these are all aggressive options, there’s rather more to the iX3 than efficiency numbers. “It is not solely concerning the electrical drivetrain,” says Zipse. “It is a few new design language for BMW. We’ve got a brand new person interface. There is no such thing as a classical cockpit in our vehicles anymore. Implementing ever greater screens shouldn’t be the proper technique, as a result of folks need to drive a automotive and never stare at screens.”Alongside the brand new drivetrain is a very rethought cockpit.BMW
As a substitute, BMW is introducing its “Panoramic iDrive” with the brand new iX3. This combines a head-up-display (HUD) with a customizable row of widgets on the backside of the windscreen – alongside a big however not extreme central infotainment show. “The panoramic imaginative and prescient got here out of an outdated thought from BMW, says Oliver Heilmer, Head of Design, BMW compact class, BMW Neue Klasse and BMW M. “Our BMW Imaginative and prescient Subsequent 100 was about palms on the wheel, eyes on the highway. In that automotive, we had a clear dashboard. We simply had the windscreen, and that’s it. With the Neue Klasse, we additionally wished to have a clear dashboard, however there’s far more info.” BMW has been a pioneer of the HUD, first providing one in 2003. “It helps how BMW stands for sheer driving pleasure, so you’re much less distracted from the highway.”
The visible design of the brand new BMW iX3 harks again to the unique Neue Klasse on the entrance, with a extra subdued grille than latest fashions. Nonetheless, kidney confusion will proceed, as this nonetheless received’t be an ordinary dimension and form. “For 100 years our kidneys have recurrently modified their kind,” explains Heilmer. “The the reason why the dimensions elevated had been useful. With the Neue Klasse, we wished to look again to the place we began. It was our emotional blueprint for future BMWs. It gave us the chance to make it small, narrower, however maintain it excessive. That is solely for our SAVs. The sedan goes to resolve it otherwise. It at all times relies on the proportion of the entrance finish. With a automotive that’s decrease like a sedan, a horizontal orientation would possibly make extra sense.” This design path will proceed into future BMWs with non-BEV drivetrains as nicely.
Decrease CO2 Footprint With BMW IX3
BMW has lengthy targeted on the significance of whole automobile lifecycle and provide chain for sustainability, not simply the zero emissions of a battery-electric drivetrain. This was theorized by way of the iVision Round idea, however is being realized with the brand new BMW iX3. BMW tracks CO2 via all the automobile’s provide chain via the Catena X platform it has developed with different producers. That is extraordinarily essential when BEVs have the next CO2 contribution on the manufacturing stage than inside combustion engine (ICE) automobiles.
“The battery has a really excessive influence on the CO2 footprint,” says Nils Hesse, VP Product Sustainability, BMW. “Nearly 50% of the CO2 is within the battery. The subsequent is metals. On the finish we’ve thermoplastics. The battery could be very vitality intensive to supply, so we attempt to use it as a lot renewable vitality as doable. We additionally use loads of secondary uncooked supplies for nickel, lithium and cobalt. We use 50% secondary uncooked supplies. All this has enabled us to decrease the battery’s CO2 footprint by 42% for the brand new iX3 in comparison with its predecessor.”Round a 3rd of the burden of the BMW iX3 comes from secondary materialsBMW
BMW additionally makes use of plenty of recycled supplies elsewhere within the automotive, resembling seat materials made from 100% recycled PET bottles and plastics from discarded fishing nets and ropes. There’s additionally appreciable thought given to the top of the automobile’s life. “The textile, the fleece and the glue of the seat are all the identical materials,” says Hesse. “On the finish of the automobile’s life, you’ll be able to simply take it off, shred it, and use it as a base materials for the subsequent manufacturing. The middle console is optimized for disassembling and dismantling. Total, we use greater than 700 kilograms of secondary uncooked materials – one third of the automotive. Aluminum has a really excessive discount potential. We use secondary materials within the rims and the wheel carriers, elements of which have excessive design necessities. We’ve got 70 to 80% secondary uncooked materials right here.”
All this has meant the BMW iX3 overtakes the same non-BEV automotive for whole emissions in a short time throughout its lifecycle. “The break-even level is absolutely essential,” says Hesse. “With the iX3 50 we had been capable of be attain the identical stage of whole CO2 footprint as ICE in only one yr. With out taking these measures, it will have been round three years and 60,000km of utilization. We had been capable of scale back this to round 20,000km relying on which sort of vitality you utilize. With renewable, it’s solely 17,500km, and 21,500km with the European Union vitality combine.” That is with the iX3 50’s massive 108.7kWh battery, the largest within the vary. “For the smaller derivatives we launch, this worth will even get decrease.”
Can The BMW IX3 Succeed In China Too?
These are all nice outcomes for the European market, when competing with different European automobiles. However the different elephant within the room is China. Not solely are Chinse automobiles posing a major problem within the European market itself, however their rising high quality has been making gross sales in China problematic for non-local automakers. BMW’s quantity in China dropped by round a 3rd in 2024.
Nonetheless, Zipse sees the Neue Klasse as a powerful step in direction of renewed fortunes, beginning with the iX3. “We’re nonetheless promoting greater than 600,000 vehicles in China,” he says. “China is a problem, however we aren’t working the chance of leaving the market. The iX3 shall be launched in lengthy model. The iX3L will arrive subsequent yr in China, with Chinese language software program. Will probably be very Chinese language product for the Chinese language market. We’re constructive that there’s a future for BMW, even in a really robust Chinese language market, particularly with that automotive.”The BMW iX3 will shortly be adopted by an i3 Neue Klasse after which 40 new or redesigned automobiles by 2027James Morris
Zipse cites the decreased manufacturing prices of Neue Klasse as proof of BMW’s continued potential in China. “We developed a very new electrical drivetrain to convey down value,” he says. “The batteries have a value discount of virtually 50% and on the similar time they’re extra performant. Nearly all of the software program that the shopper sees is China for China – Alibaba, DeepSeek synthetic intelligence with dozens of functions within the automotive. It’s virtually a Chinese language automotive, with a neighborhood, autonomous driving stack.”
“BMW is a rising firm, regardless of some contraction in China,” Zipse continues. “It’s compensated elsewhere. We’ve got grown in Europe by over 70%, United States, 4%, and the remainder of world, 3%. We compensate what we lose.” Nonetheless, the BMW chairman claims that the Neue Klasse will give it a significant enhance, as it’s the solely platform that may be each international and tailored to native wants. “In China, it’s a really Chinese language automotive,” he says. “In Europe, it is a very European automotive. And in the US, it is going to be a really American automotive, as a result of areas are drifting aside of their regulation. While you begin making full platforms solely in a single market, that is probably the most inefficient factor you are able to do. Being a world firm is a bonus, and you shouldn’t give that up in a short time.”
With the BMW iX3 not arriving on sale till 2026, we must wait awhile to search out out whether or not Zipse’s claims bear fruit. However the automotive and the platform it inaugurates definitely tick loads of containers. There’s an i3 sedan model following sizzling on its heels, teased in Munich, and 40 new and up to date fashions due by 2027. The brand new Neue Klasse is a giant transfer by BMW. However it has massive competitors to face as nicely.
