BMW iX3 50 xDrive: Bavaria’s premium EV ambassador

In July 2011, BMW, under then-chief executive Dr Norbert Reithofer, introduced the world to its new BMW i sub-brand and laid out its vision for electric mobility. I had the privilege of witnessing the unveiling.

At the time, electrification seemed a distant prospect for much of the mainstream automotive industry. Fast-forward 15 years and I found myself behind the wheel of the new BMW iX3 50 xDrive, the first series-production model of BMW’s Neue Klasse generation.

The significance goes beyond simply introducing another electric SUV. BMW says Neue Klasse technologies will find their way into 40 new models and model updates by next year as the German manufacturer accelerates its transition towards electrification and greater digitalisation.

Built at BMW Group’s new plant in Debrecen, Hungary, the iX3 introduces the company’s sixth-generation eDrive technology.

The 50 xDrive tested here uses two electric motors — one on each axle — producing a combined 345kW and 645Nm. The electric all-wheel-drive SUV will dispatch the 0-100km/h sprint in a claimed 4.9 seconds.

Those numbers are particularly impressive considering its size. Gross vehicle weight is listed at 2 825kg, while its permitted load is 540kg.

Energy comes from a 108.7kWh battery using an 800-volt electrical architecture and BMW’s new cylindrical battery cells. BMW claims a driving range of up to 820km, although my test vehicle displayed approximately 625km on a full charge. As always with EVs, range will depend on driving style, traffic, weather and other operating conditions.

My time with the iX3 included a drive from Johannesburg towards Hartbeespoort and through the Cradle of Humankind, along with the less glamorous but arguably more revealing routine of school runs, meetings and everyday urban driving.

Finished in Ocean Wave Blue and riding on imposing 22-inch BMW Individual multi-spoke wheels, the iX3 certainly looked the part.

On the road, refinement is arguably one of its strongest attributes. It is quiet and smooth around town but pressing the accelerator on an open road reveals another personality. With 345kW available almost instantaneously, acceleration is forceful enough to make this large SUV feel more like a super jet gathering speed. Yet straight-line performance is only part of the story.

BMW has introduced what it calls the “Heart of Joy”, a central control system responsible for drivetrain and driving dynamics functions. Despite the iX3’s considerable mass, it remained composed through the sweeping roads around the Cradle, with the all-wheel-drive system managing power between the two axles.

The technological overhaul is equally apparent inside. BMW Panoramic iDrive introduces a new approach to displaying information and operating vehicle functions. Combined with the materials, digital interfaces and even the sounds accompanying various controls, the cabin feels distinctly more futuristic than that of its bigger sibling, the BMW iX.

One feature I appreciated was the optional Driving Assistant Plus. It can regulate speed and following distance, provide steering and braking assistance and help keep the vehicle within its lane. It can also adapt to detected speed limits and reduce speed approaching bends, roundabouts and junctions. Such systems remain driver-assistance features, however, and do not replace the driver’s responsibility.

Practicality has not been forgotten. The luggage compartment offers up to 1 750 litres of capacity with the rear seats folded, while another 58 litres is available beneath the bonnet — a useful place to keep charging cables rather than having them rolling around in the boot.

The iX3 enters an increasingly competitive premium electric SUV market. Its rivals include the Lexus RZ and Audi e-tron SUV, while Volvo’s forthcoming EX60 will add another challenger when it reaches South Africa. Mercedes-Benz’s expanding electric SUV offering also ensures BMW will not have this segment to itself.

After 15 years of watching BMW’s electric ambitions evolve from that presentation in Frankfurt, the iX3 feels like an important marker of how dramatically both BMW and the wider industry have changed.

Pricing starts from R1.69 million for the iX3 M Sport variant and R1.72m for the M Sport Pro.