BMW iX3 Neue Klasse 2026: 805 km range and 400 kW charging

BMW has pulled a potential weapon of mass destruction out of its back catalogue: with a spec sheet packed with big claims, the new iX3 could make life very difficult for its rivals. Here’s what we’re expecting ahead of our road test of this SUV that’s being awaited like a messiah.

Back in the early 1960s, BMW introduced the Neue Klasse, a mid-sized class that sat between tiny city cars and big limousines. Six decades on, the German brand is attempting the same kind of reset with the Neue Klasse, 2026 edition. This time, it’s the iX3 SUV that kicks things off. And for once, calling it a revolution doesn’t feel like an overstatement.

A monolithic design: why the new iX3 looks like no other BMW

The family resemblance between combustion and electric models is over. With Neue Klasse signalling BMW’s electrified new era, the firm clearly wants to stand out with an entirely fresh look. The iX3 therefore arrives with a very distinctive front end: a substantial “mask” housing two pairs of hook-shaped lights, flanked by slim kidney grilles. The nose also nods to the iconic BMW 1500, which opened the first chapter of the original Neue Klasse.

From the side, the SUV focuses on smooth, clean body panels with only a handful of creases. The overall effect is minimalist and doesn’t shout for attention. One detail worth noting, though: there’s no plastic cladding, which is unusual on a tall, high-riding vehicle like this. At the rear, the iX3 goes even more monolithic, as if the entire tail has been carved from a single block of bodywork.

805 km range and 400 kW charging: the spec sheet that makes Tesla nervous

Neue Klasse isn’t just about design-far from it. The new iX3 is built on a next-generation 800V platform that promises class-leading range and charging performance. With new cylindrical cells forming a 108 kWh battery, range can reach up to 805 km on the WLTP cycle. That’s currently the best figure in this segment.

On charging, it’s just as ambitious: up to 400 kW on DC rapid charging, which is again an excellent headline number. BMW even says you can recover 372 km of range in 10 minutes-enough, on paper, to all but erase the charging anxiety that often comes with EV ownership. Are these claims realistic in everyday use? We’ll find out in our upcoming test!

Goodbye to the twin-screen set-up: BMW creates a panoramic display at the base of the windscreen

Used to the curved twin-screen layout found across much of the current line-up? As with the exterior, the iX3’s cabin is intended as a clean break. Traditional interface placement is pushed aside: the newcomer installs an extremely wide, slim screen at the base of the windscreen. It serves as the driver’s instrument display-but that’s not its only role.

A range of additional information can be configured across the central area and even towards the passenger side, putting anything deemed useful in view. It’s clearly not essential-far from it-but it is a distinctive gimmick. A diagonal-looking touchscreen and a steering wheel with faux spokes complete this unusual set-up. Love it or hate it, it doesn’t feel copied from anywhere else.

From 64 550 €: the price of excellence for the new German electric weapon

Naturally, the BMW iX3 isn’t cheap, starting at 64 550 € in entry-level 40 rear-wheel drive form. Output remains strong, with 320 hp and 500 Nm enabling 0 to 100 km/h in 5,9 seconds. Range drops with the smaller 82,6 kWh battery, but a 635 km figure is still more than enough for daily driving-and perfectly workable for long trips, too.

DC rapid charging is also reduced compared with the top numbers, at 300 kW. BMW quotes a 10 to 80% charge in 21 minutes, which is still very respectable. The version we drove is the 50 xDrive, with all-wheel drive and 469 hp. As you’d expect, it costs more, with pricing starting at 71 950 €-but the performance is once again there to match.

With 800 km of range and a 10-minute recharge, would you finally be ready to ditch combustion for this BMW iX3?