The 2022 BMW iX3 will undercut the Audi e-tron and Mercedes-Benz EQC when it arrives in November 2021.
It’s priced from $114,900 before on-road costs, more than $20,000 less than its German rivals. It also comes with a five-year free subscription to the ChargeFox network of DC rapid chargers.
It’s available in a single, rear-wheel drive variant, with a rear-mounted electric motor producing 210kW of power and 400Nm of torque.
The EQC and e-tron are all-wheel drive, though they don’t have quite as much range as the iX3.
On the WLTP test cycle, the iX3 has 460km of range, while the EQC has 414km and the e-tron has between 336km and 436km depending on the variant.
An integrated drive unit houses the motor, transmission and power electronics in a single housing, with the iX3 using BMW’s latest eDrive system.
It wears updated interior and exterior styling like its internal combustion engine sibling, the X3. The iX3 comes with the M Sport package as standard.
It’s distinguished from the regular X3 with a unique grille, while blue exterior accents are a no-cost option. There are also unique 20-inch wheels that are said to be more aerodynamic, while blue accents feature in the interior.
The iX3 has a drag coefficient of 0.29.
There’s also a start/stop acoustic sequence composed by Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer.
Like the top-selling Tesla Model 3 and MG ZS EV, it’ll be imported from China.
BMW says it’s building the iX3 with a “holistic approach to sustainability as a key focus”.
It’s reduced the amount of the raw cobalt by around a third compared to the older battery in its i3, and as part of its procurement process for cobalt and lithium it’s monitoring compliance with environmental and social standards.
BMW will also introduce the larger iX crossover – built on a bespoke EV platform – in the fourth quarter of 2021, with the 4 Series Gran Coupe-based i4 launching in the first quarter of 2022.
With the introduction of the iX3, BMW will offer the X3 in petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid and all-electric versions.
Pricing
- 2022 BMW iX3: $114,900
Price excludes on-road costs.
Powertrains
The 2022 BMW iX3 uses a rear-mounted electric motor and an 80kWh lithium-ion battery. It produces 210kW of power and 400Nm of torque.
It’s only available with rear-wheel drive.
The iX3 has a 0-100km/h time of 6.8 seconds and a top speed electronically limited to 180km/h.
Economy
The 2022 BMW iX3 has an electric range of 460km on the stricter WLTP test cycle.
It supports single-phase AC charging at up to 7.4kW and three-phase charging at up to 11kW.
It can also be plugged into a DC fast-charging station and charged at a rate of up to 150kW, where it’ll take 32 minutes to charge from 10 to 80 per cent. A 10-minute charge adds 100km of driving range.
Dimensions
The 2022 BMW iX3 measures 4734mm long, 1891mm wide and 1668mm tall on a 2864mm wheelbase.
It has 510L of luggage space, expanding to 1560L with the rear seats folded.
Servicing and Warranty
All BMW models are covered by a three-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
BMW offers a choice of four- and six-year and Basic and Plus servicing packages, all with unlimited kilometres.
The Basic packages include microfilter and brake fluid replacement, while the Plus packages include the replacement of brake pads and discs and wiper blade rubbers.
The prices are:
- Four-year Basic: $1200
- Six-year Basic: $1650
- Four-year Plus: $4605
- Six-year Plus: $5500
Safety
The BMW iX3 has yet to be tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, though the related X3 has a five-star rating from 2017.
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Autonomous emergency braking with crossroads warning
- Adaptive cruise control with stop/go
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Lane-keep assist
- Front and rear cross-traffic alert
- Evasion assistant
- Speed limit assist
- Surround-view camera with 3D view
- Front and rear parking sensors
Standard Equipment
The iX3 comes standard with the following equipment:
- Five-year subscription to Chargefox
- M Sport Package
- 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Satellite navigation
- DAB+ digital radio
- Gesture control
- Wireless phone charging
- Head-up display
- Semi-automatic parking assist
- Vernasca leather upholstery
- Adaptive matrix LED headlights
- Adaptive high-beam
- Adaptive suspension
- 20-inch alloy wheels
- Ambient interior lighting
- Panoramic sunroof
- Tyre pressure monitoring
- Automatic climate control
- Sensatec-wrapped instrument panel
- Heated, power-adjustable front sport seats
- Comfort Access keyless entry and start
- BMW Digital Key
- 16-speaker harman/kardon surround sound system
- Power tailgate
- Model 2 domestic charger
- Model 3 public charging cable
Adaptive LED headlights with BMW Laserlight are a $2000 option, while a $2000 Shadow Package adds high-gloss Shadow Line accents and Shadow Line headlights. This package isn’t available with Laserlight.
Colours
The following colours are available:
The interior is available in black, Oyster or Mocha colourways.
High-gloss black or Aluminium Rhombicle Dark interior trim are no-cost options, with open-pore wood trim a $350 option.
