The new iX3 isn’t just a new car, it’s the start of a transformational shift in design, technology and sustainability within the 109-year-old German luxury carmaker.
The iX3, which won’t be officially revealed until early September, is the first production model based on the Neue Klasse platform, a name used for a generation of vehicles six decades ago. The original Neue Klasse vehicles built between 1962 and 1972 saved the automaker from bankruptcy and gave rise to some of its most popular models including the 3, 5 and 7 Series sedans. Neue Klasse today symbolizes a generational leap in technology and everything the company is doing to be more sustainable throughout a vehicle’s entire lifecycle.
The production iX3 looks similar to this Neue Klasse Concept X, heralding an all-new design language.Courtesy of manufacturer
By 2027, 40 models globally will feature Neue Klasse technology, according to the company. It’s an all-encompassing approach that scrutinizes everything from increased use of recycled materials, next-level production processes and supply-chain management, to a new generation of more environmentally friendly factories.
The newly build Plant Debrecen in Hungary, where the 2027 BMW iX3 will begin production later this year, is BMW’s cleanest plant to date. It emits two-thirds less carbon dioxide than the average BMW plant. It takes advantage of solar energy and thermal storage facilities, and features the world’s first fully electric paint shop.
Specially designed for the production of electric vehicles, it’s the first BMW plant to operate without the use of fossil fuels.
BMW Vision Neue Klasse X interior.Courtesy of manufacturer
These measures will eventually get retrofitted to existing BMW plants, helping reduce carbon emissions by 90 per cent by 2050, the company says. Measures taken since 2019 put BMW on track to reduce its global emissions to 109 megatons from 150 by 2030.
The iX3 is a battery-electric compact luxury crossover using BMW’s next-generation 800-volt electric platform. The new Gen 6 powertrain and battery blow the prior generation units out of the water with up to 800 kilometres of range (on the optimistic WLTP scale) and charging speeds up to 400 kilowatts. According to the company, a customer can add more than 350 kilometres of range in 10 minutes.
The iX3 will have four “superbrains,” including the new “heart of joy” supercomputer responsible for all things related to drivetrain management. It’s a massive decrease in the amount of computer modules typically found in a modern car and represents a giant leap in software and computing power. It will also simplify production and greatly reduce the amount of wiring required.
Yarn and seat covering made entirely from PET bottles.Tom Kirkpatrick/Courtesy of manufacturer
Fishing nets and plastic bottles in the initial state and then shown through the various stages as they are converted into materials used in the iX3.Courtesy of manufacturer
One third of every new iX3 will be made from recycled materials.
Recycled plastic bottles are used to make the seat covers and yarn, as well as the headliner, floor mats and floor coverings.
The plastic storage compartment under the hood consists of 30 per cent recycled fishing nets and suspension components such as the swivel bearings and wheel carriers are made using up to 80 per cent recycled aluminum. Even the rims contain up to 70 per cent recycled raw material.
Aluminum swivel bearing made with 80 per cent secondary raw materials.Tom Kirkpatrick/Courtesy of manufacturer
Aluminum wheel carrier made with 80 per cent secondary raw materials.Tom Kirkpatrick/Courtesy of manufacturer
When it comes to the end of the iX3’s life, many components such as the aluminum in the wheels and suspension parts can be reused and put back into the supply chain. This circular production philosophy is a cornerstone of BMW’s mission to reduce its carbon footprint.
Aluminum wheel made with 70 per cent secondary raw materials.Tom Kirkpatrick/Courtesy of manufacturer
The biggest culprit for emissions in an EV is the battery. Mining and processing the raw material required to make them is energy-intensive and damaging to the environment, but BMW says its sixth-generation battery cells contain up to 20 per cent recycled material and produce 42 per cent less emissions per watt-hour than the previous generation.
BMW plotted the lifetime emissions of an iX3 and found it would take one year or 21,500 kilometres to break even with an equivalent gas-powered vehicle. After 200,000 kilometres, the iX3’s carbon footprint would be 34 per cent smaller. This was based on a mix of European electricity sources, but it would be even better if the iX3 were charged exclusively using renewable energy.
In 2021, the province of Ontario generated 91 per cent of its electricity from zero-carbon sources that included nuclear, hydroelectric and wind, meaning an iX3 here would reach the breakeven point with a gas car in less than a year.
We won’t see the iX3 arrive here until 2026, and it will mark the first time BMW has sold it on this side of the Atlantic. Previous versions of the iX3, not to be confused with the oddball i3, have been on sale in other markets since 2020.
The writer was a guest of the automaker. Content was not subject to approval.