BMW unveils entry-level iX3 RWD with €63,400 price tag

BMW is expanding its lineup with a more affordable, single-motor variant of the BMW iX3 50 xDrive. The BMW iX3 40 is priced from €63,400. This rear-wheel-drive model is €7,500 cheaper than BMW’s initial iX3 50 offering, which has been available since the beginning of this month with a listed price of €70,900. However, this price has only been in effect for a few weeks. At its world premiere last autumn, the all-wheel-drive electric SUV was announced at €2,000 less. In early February, BMW increased the price, widening the gap to the now-available 40 model. More details on this are below.

First, let’s look at the technology: The iX3 is BMW’s first model from the Neue Klasse. With the new iX3 40, the manufacturer demonstrates the efficiency of a rear-wheel-drive system on the new platform. The powertrain – BMW’s sixth-generation electric motor – delivers 235 kW and is paired with an 82.6 kWh battery. All components are designed for 800 volts. BMW states a WLTP range of up to 635 kilometres for the iX3 40, slightly less than the iX3 50 xDrive’s maximum range of 805 kilometres.

In detail: The electric motor on the rear axle is an electrically excited synchronous machine (SSM) with ‘exceptionally high efficiency’, according to BMW. It delivers the aforementioned 235 kW and generates 500 Nm of torque. The new BMW iX3 40 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds, with a top speed of 200 km/h. This places the new entry-level model only marginally behind the more powerful 50 model, which is one second faster in acceleration and can reach a top speed 10 km/h higher.

The iX3 40’s battery has a usable energy content of 82.6 kWh and features cylindrical cells. This switch was one of the key focal points in the development of the Neue Klasse. BMW claims a 20 per cent increase in energy density compared to the previously used prismatic cells. Additionally, the cell-to-pack design of the new batteries contributes to improved energy density. BMW states a DC charging capacity of 300 kW, with a charging time of 21 minutes for 10 to 80 per cent (similar to the iX3 50 xDrive, which has a larger 108 kWh battery but a 400 kW charging capacity). For AC charging, the standard configuration supports up to 11 kW, with an optional 22 kW onboard charger also available.

A brief detour regarding the recent price increase for the already available 50 model: While the all-wheel-drive iX3 was initially announced at a base price of €68,900 during its world premiere at the IAA Mobility last autumn, the model’s price increased by €2,000 in the configurator in early February. This adjustment coincided with initial model updates, even before the vehicle officially launched in March. Since then, the ‘AC Charging Professional’ option has been available as an add-on, enabling AC charging at up to 22 kW. This also includes the Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) function (3.7 kWh). Additionally, new paint colours and interior design options have been introduced.

These model updates appear to be directly integrated into the new 40 variant. BMW has announced the same optional 22 kW AC charging and ‘a range of bidirectional charging functions’ for this model, specifically Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) and Vehicle-to-Home (V2H). In terms of design, the new version is nearly indistinguishable from the existing iX3. Both models follow the minimalist design approach of the Neue Klasse. As BMW states: “The standard equipment of the new BMW iX3 40 is identical to that of the BMW iX3 50 xDrive in terms of exterior and interior design.”

All iX3 variants are produced at BMW’s new plant in Debrecen, Hungary, where series production began in October. As the 40 variant is set to become available from summer 2026, the production debut of the rear-wheel-drive model should not be far off.

One thing is clear: BMW has high hopes for the electric SUV. The launch has already got off to a strong start. Even with blind orders – where customers committed without seeing or test-driving the vehicle – almost the entire planned production of the iX3 50 xDrive for 2026 has already been allocated. BMW itself previously announced that it would introduce an additional shift due to high demand.

The strong start of the iX3 was recently a positive highlight during the presentation of BMW’s 2025 financial results. According to CEO Oliver Zipse, who will hand over the chairmanship of the board to Milan Nedeljković after the annual general meeting in May, demand from both private and fleet customers has exceeded expectations.

press.bmwgroup.com (link in German)