Next year, the BMW i family will gain an additional member – the first ever, fully electric iX3 SUV. The EV crossover was introduced in concept form back in 2018 and it is now ready for production. Speaking of production, all the units will be manufactured in China and will be exported globally.
According to a usual BMW insider, the iX3 is based on the long wheelbase X3 – G08 codename – and will be offered in the United States with a rear-wheel drive configuration. The name is rumored to be sDrive75, with “75” denoting the kW capacity of its battery pack.
The electric motor is rumored to produced around 300 horsepower. No word on the real life EV range, but it’s expected to be above 250 miles. 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.
The U.S. model is said to come standard with self-driving capabilities, but it’s unclear at what level.
BMW’s recent presentation of “Iconic Sounds” was likely timed to prepare us for its market debut, which is said to be in the iX3.
Once the BMW iX3 EV arrives in 2020, the X3 range will be made up of cars using internal combustion engines, electric motors and a mix of the two.