This week marked a huge event for BMW and its electrified future. The brand’s second ever BEV rolled off the production line for the first time and the moment was captured on camera. The first ever BMW iX3 was assembled at the Shenyang plant in China and this marks a new era for the German brand, which is betting big on its flexible, modular architectures moving forward.
The video below shows the production process for the iX3 which includes a couple of specific processes, as this is not a regular car. The BMW X3 range has become the first to be offered with three different powertrain choices, running on the same platform. You can now have an X3 using a regular internal combustion engine, you can have it as a mild-hybrid or as a fully electric BEV. All of this is possible due to BMW’s flexible platforms and staying true to the ‘power of choice’ motto.
By doing so and not developing specific platforms for EVs, BMW is hoping to offer customers exactly what they want and to be able to modify the production depending on demand. As for the production process, things look like they do on any other X3 with a few notable differences, as I mentioned before.
The transmission tunnel, for example, is now empty, hosting just a bunch of cables. The rear axle includes the electric motor and the entire suspension and powertrain modules are hooked up as a solid unit.
There are even more interesting tidbits hidden in this video and it’s quite interesting to see. The ‘action’ takes place at BMW’s Shenyang plant in China. This is where all BMW iX3 EVs will be built and then shipped around the world. The Shenyang location in Dadong is one of BMW’s largest worldwide and uses state of the art technology, in collaboration with the local partner, Brilliance Automotive. Expect the first iX3 models to arrive at a dealer near you later this year.
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