BMW iX3 Enters Final Testing Ahead of Neue Klasse Debut

BMW is preparing to open the Neue Klasse era of electric mobility, sending next-generation iX3 prototypes into their final testing phase in southern France. The public debut will take place in September at the IAA Mobility show in Munich, with production slated to begin later this year at the new Debrecen plant in Hungary. The company promises “fundamental technological advances.” What does that really mean?

To start with, the numbers are bold: up to 800 kilometres of range (WLTP), charging power of up to 400 kW, and 350 kilometres of driving range gained in just ten minutes—at least at prototype stage. These leaps are made possible by BMW’s sixth-generation (Gen6) electric drivetrain, making its debut on the iX3. The battery is entirely new, built around cylindrical cells that deliver 20 percent greater energy density than the outgoing prismatic format.

Cutting-edge technology is present in every detail. The new Panoramic iDrive projects information across the entire width of the windshield, blending printed overlays on darkened glass with a 3D head-up display and a “shy-tech” steering wheel free of visible buttons. At its core lies BMW’s new Operating System X, designed to keep “hands on the wheel, eyes on the road.”

Charging and energy management are equally ambitious. For the first time, BMW will offer bidirectional charging (Vehicle-to-Load, -Home, -Grid), a self-opening smart charging port, and a next-generation DC Wallbox. Regeneration is so advanced that conventional friction braking will rarely be needed.

Driving dynamics are entrusted to the new “Heart of Joy” controller, said to process data ten times faster than its predecessor. Coupled with BMW’s Dynamic Performance Control software, it aims to extract maximum response and finesse from the electric powertrain. Real-world results, however, remain to be seen.

Adding another layer, the car introduces an “automated super-brain” that fuses rule-based logic with artificial intelligence. The goal is semi-autonomous driving, including city and highway assist that can stop at red lights and pull away at green without driver input. Parking aids, too, are now powered by AI.