The EV Tech of BMW’s Neue-Klasse IX3

The 6th gen BMW EV gets huge efficiency gains.

September 12, 2025

Roberto Baldwin

Driving shot of the newly unveiled BMW iX3. (BMW)

The rollout of electric vehicles has recently encountered a few bumps in the United States. For international automakers with roadmaps that look ahead for decades, a hiccup isn't enough to fully change course. One example of technology marching forward is BMW’s Neue-Klasse next-generation EV platform.

The Neue-Klasse platform technology of the BMW iX3. (BMW)

At IAA (International Motor Show) in Munich, Germany, the automaker unveiled the all-electric iX3 SUV. The first production vehicle to be released based on the Neue-Klasse platform, the iX3 highlights the evolution of BMW’s electric architecture.

The Neue-Klasse is the sixth-generation EV platform from the German automaker. The automaker says that the platform will be integrated into 40 new and updated models through 2027.

The new vehicles are more efficient both in terms of charging and range. Sporting an 800-volt architecture, the iX3 will charge at up to 400kW at an 800-volt charging station. On the road, BMW is targeting 400 miles (644 km) of EPA-measured range.

That range and charge rate are the result of new cylindrical cells that are integrated into the 108.7-kWh “cell-to-pack” battery pack. Previous BMW EVs had prismatic pouch cells in their packs. According to the automaker, the new cells increased energy density 20% and charging rates 30% over the previous generation BMW vehicle battery packs.

For overnight charging, the vehicle will ship with support for up to 11-kW AC charging with 22-kW AC charging available as an option. No word on wireless charging, but it’s important to remember that BMW was one of the first automakers to propose wireless charging. With SAE standard J2954 for wireless charging showing up on the electric Porsche Macan, it’s not too far of a stretch to expect at least a halo model of the Neue-Klasse to offer the feature.

Bidirectional charging is also available with vehicle-to-load, vehicle-to-home, and vehicle-to-grid support. Whether using the iX3 as a battery on the go, using it to power your home, or taking advantage of V2G to help balance the grid while making some extra money, BMW allows customers to take full advantage of the giant battery sitting in their driveways.

Like most new EVs, the vehicle will be outfitted with the SAE J1772 NACS port that makes it compatible with Tesla's Supercharger network. The vehicle will step down to accept DC charging from Tesla’s slower 500-volt third-generation chargers and older 400-volt charging stations from other charging companies.

Interestingly, BMW continues to use an Electrically Excited Synchronous Motor (EESM) for the rear motor and Asynchronous Motor (ASM) for the front motor. Neither of these motors requires rare-earth permanent magnets. Instead, the magnetic field is generated by an excitation current. This allows BMW to continue to build its motors without concern about rare-earth magnet supplies. Most of these are sourced from China, which recently has reduced its exports to other countries.

The motors also contribute to a 40% reduction in energy loss compared to the previous BMW EVs and weight savings of 10%. Throw in a drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.24, and the result is a vehicle that, according to BMW’s EPA target, should get approximately four miles per kWh. An impressive figure from a mid-sized EV.

For the U.S. market, BMW will only ship the all-wheel-drive version of the iX3 (a rear-wheel-drive version will be available in Europe). The BMW iX3 50 xDrive will have 463 hp (345 kW) and 476 lb-ft (645 Nm) of torque and is expected to go from 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds. The vehicle is expected on U.S. shores in the summer of 2026 with a starting price of $60,000.