BMW’s new iX3 will ignite an ‘unprecedented’ EV ramp-up starting this year

BMW is gearing up to launch its first Neue Klasse model later this year, promising 30% faster charging and at least 30% more range. Starting with the new iX3, BMW says an “unprecedented ramp-up” is coming as it prepares to unleash over 40 new and updated models by 2027.

BMW’s new iX3 will arrive by the end of 2025

Although BMW Group deliveries fell 4% last year with 2.45 million vehicles delivered globally, the German automaker is betting heavily on its next-generation EVs to help turn things around.

“With the Neue Klasse, we are implementing the biggest future-focused project in the history of our company,” CEO, Oliver Zipse, said on Friday.

BMW confirmed the first Neue Klasse model, the iX3 will debut later this year. It will kick off “an unprecedented ramp-up” of over 40 new and updated vehicles set to arrive by 2027.

All will be based on a new “Digital Nervous System” and “Heart of Joy” advanced ECU which will deliver drastic improvements in range, charging speeds, efficiency and more.

The digital nervous system is a new zonal architecture consisting of four “super-brains,” or high-performance computers, that power everything from the infotainment system to the driving dynamics and self-driving capabilities.

BMW claims the new system provides over 20 times more in-car computing power than its current vehicles. The new ECU, Heart of Joy, integrates the drivetrain and driving dynamics, increasing overall efficiency by up to 25%.

Combined with its sixth-gen eDrive technology, BMW said the advanced new tech reduces energy loss by 40% and weight by 10%.

BMW said that using cylindrical battery cells and an 800V system will deliver “20% higher energy density, 30% faster charging and at least 30% more range.” The company also aims to reduce battery pack costs by 40% to 50%.

Following the new iX3, BMW will launch the next-gen i3, an electric sedan that’s expected to compete with the new Mercedes CLA EV and Tesla Model 3.

Despite global sales slipping, BMW’s EVs remained the main growth driver. With an all-electric vehicle in every segment, BMW sold over 426,500 EVs last year, representing over 17% of total sales. In Europe, EV share is now over 20%. At MINI, roughly one in four vehicles is electric, while at Rolls-Royce, it’s one in three.

With its Neue Klasse vehicles rolling out, starting with the new iX3, BMW expects EVs to account for over 50% of global sales by 2030.

Ahead of its official debut, BMW gave us a closer look at the highly anticipated iX3 and i3 during the final stages of testing (see the teaser).