The new BMW iX3 also embodies the strategic “Power of Choice” approach with which the BMW Group is covering the broad variety of customer requirements and statutory regulations around the world. The BMW X3 will be the first model to be available with highly efficient petrol and diesel engines, a plug-in hybrid system or a pure-electric drive system. The market launch of the iX3 will begin later in 2020, when sales get underway in China. It will be the brand’s first model to also be built for export at the Shenyang plant in China, which is operated by the joint venture BMW Brilliance Automotive.
The new BMW iX3 owes its forward-looking character to the unique combination of its electric motor’s efficiency, the optimised energy density of its high-voltage battery and its high charging capacity. This is the result of the BMW Group’s many years of unwavering development work in the field of electric mobility. The advances achieved since the market launch of the BMW i3 combine with fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology to enable improvements in operating range through intelligently enhanced efficiency. This means that disproportiona large batteries, which usually have a negative effect on vehicle weight, driving dynamics and electric power consumption, can be avoided.
Premiere for fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology.
The premiere of the new BMW iX3 also fires the starting gun for the fifth generation of BMW eDrive technology. The latest versions of the electric motor, power electronics, charging technology and high-voltage battery have enabled clear progress in the areas of performance characteristics, electric power consumption and range. The components developed by the BMW Group will also be fitted in the BMW iNEXT and BMW i4 models from 2021. With these qualities in place, the new BMW iX3 has an eye on both the current requirements of the electric vehicle segment and its future
face. In its fifth generation, BMW eDrive technology has attained a level of development beyond the one of market rivals and provides an outstanding basis for economically sustainable applications in volume production models. At the same time, the strong appeal of the overall vehicle concept goes hand in hand with rising demand worldwide for all-electric premium cars. The new BMW iX3 is therefore arriving at just the right moment.
Highly integrated drive system technology.
The highly integrated drive system technology of the new BMW iX3 plays
a particularly important role in optimising efficiency and power development. The electric motor, transmission and power electronics are now arranged together in a single housing.
The electric motor in the new BMW iX3 works according to the principle of a current-excited synchronous motor, without the usage of magnets. This design allows rare earths to be entirely avoided in the manufacturing of the motor.
The power density of the electric motor in the BMW iX3 is 30 per cent greater than that of existing fully electric vehicles from the BMW Group. The motor displays efficiency of up to 93 per cent,in comparison to under 40 per cent for combustion engines. The new drive system unit generates maximum output of 210 kW/286 hp and peak torque of 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) which, unlike with many other electric motors, is sustained at high revs. The new BMW iX3 sprints from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.8 seconds, putting it on equal footing with the conventionally powered
BMW X3 xDrive30i. Top speed is electronically limited to 180 km/h
(112 mph). Sending power to the rear wheels creates a classic BMW driving experience combined with supreme traction – thanks to ARB – and outstanding efficiency.
Cutting-edge battery cell technology plays a central role in the latest development stage of high-voltage batteries. The storage capacity of the battery, relative to the installation space required and its weight, has been substantially increased. The gravimetric energy density of the 188 prismatic cells in the new BMW iX3 is around 20 per cent higher than the one of the battery cells used by the BMW Group for fully electric vehicles up to now.
A gross energy content of 80 kWh – of which 74 kWh is utilised – and the high efficiency of the drive systems allow the new BMW iX3 to offer a range of up to 459 kilometres (285 miles) in the WLTP test cycle and up to 520 kilometres (323 miles) in the NEDC test cycle.
The new technical features making their debuts under the banner of the fifth- generation BMW eDrive technology include an innovative charging unit, sending power to both the 400V battery and the 12V on-board power supply. When using alternating current terminals, it enables both single-phase and three-phase charging at up to 11 kW. Plugging the vehicle into a direct current fast-charging station facilitates charging outputs of up to 150 kW. The high-voltage battery in the new BMW iX3 can therefore be charged from 0 to 80 per cent of its full capacity in 34 minutes. Drivers can inject the power required to add 100 kilometres (62 miles) to the car’s driving range (in the WLTP cycle) in 10 minutes of charging.
Optimised efficiency enhances capability over long distances. The outstanding efficiency of its electric motor and its high charging capacity give the new BMW iX3 an extraordinary long-distance capability. On a trip from Munich to Berlin, for example, a BMW iX3 would need to make fewer charging stops than a comparable electric vehicle whose efficiency is compromised by the presence of larger and heavier high-voltage batteries. Also those stops would be shorter as well. Efficiency and comfort are enhanced by digital services from BMW Connected Charging. When planning a route and calculating the arrival time, the E-Route function offers improved recommendations for mid-journey stops to charge the high-voltage battery. It also provides useful information on charging stations – such as availability and the authentication method required – as well as on points of interest in their surroundings. BMW iX3 drivers will benefit from particularly low rates when using fast-charging stations in the IONITY network.
The BMW iX3 is available with a choice of two attractive equipment lines.
The standard “Inspiring” specification comprises a wide array of details designed to enhance comfort, safety and driving pleasure. These include metallic paintwork, 19-inch aerodynamic wheels, LED headlights, a panoramic glass sunroof, automatic tailgate operation, Driving Assistant Professional featuring Active Cruise Control with Stop&Go function, Steering and Lane Control Assistant, Lane Change Warning and Lane Departure Warning, plus Park Distance Control with front and rear sensors, a tyre pressure indicator and an alarm system. There is also a sports steering wheel, Storage package, ambient lighting, electrically adjustable seats with memory function on the driver’s side and a heat-pump-operated three-zone automatic climate control system including pre-heating and pre-conditioning function. BMW Live Cockpit Professional (complete with an optimised navigation system), the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto preparation, Remote Software Upgrade, the digital services from BMW Connected Charging, telephony with wireless charging and an audio system with DAB tuner can all be found on the standard equipment list too.
The optional equipment package “Impressive” puts 20-inch light-alloy wheels in the new aerodynamically optimised design and Adaptive LED headlights, while also adding acoustic glazing for the front door windows, Comfort Access, Vernasca leather trim and front sports seats with lumbar support. The BMW Head-Up Display, High Beam Assistant and Parking Assistant Plus including rear view camera are also on hand to enhance both comfort and safety. And for an even more exclusive flair and driving comfort, BMW gesture control, a Harman Kardon surround sound system and a WiFi hotspot are also included.
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