Earlier this month, the reservations for the BMW iX3 electric SUV were opened in Norway. The iX3 reservations were available through bmw.no/vipps and cost NOK 15.000 (approximately $1,800). Today, BMW says that over 1,000 customers have already the first electric SUV built by the Bavarians which is not scheduled to arrive until 2020.
The entire deposit is refundable and the payment goes to a chosen dealership and there is no queue system. All the customers who reserve now are added to a “group” that will be able to customize and place an order before it goes into production in 2020.
The new EV will be built atop the same platform as the current X3 which has been designed from the get go to accommodate an electric drivetrain. The iX3 will bring BMW’s new battery and powertrain technology which will be a 70 kWh battery pack, more than double the current biggest BMW battery – the 33 kWh pack in the new i3. The 70 kWh battery pack will make its debut in the BMW iX3 and it will be the brand’s first ever long-range electric vehicle.
The BMW iX3 will make 270 hp and a total range of 249 miles. While 249 miles is not exactly cross-country capable, it’s more than enough for the standard customer daily.
Thanks to 150 kW charging, the BMW iX3 won’t leave you stranded for hours while you sit around, waiting for it to charge. With 150 kWh, it’s said that it can charge almost 100 percent in just 30 minutes.
BMW has not announced whether the iX3 will have all-wheel drive.
