The new BMW electric SUV is scheduled to reach Polish customers in spring. Why does the Bavarian company call the car “groundbreaking”? First of all, the car is supposed to guarantee a very long range. This was the Achilles heel of electric vehicles – in practice, the car had to be charged after driving 300-400 km, which significantly lengthened the routes. Meanwhile, the new BMW has a declared range of 805 km and a battery with a capacity of 108.7 kWh.
In practice, the iX3 is supposed to cover long routes without having to stand at chargers. In turn, fast charging is intended to fill the vehicle with electricity faster – in the time it takes a driver to drink a cup of coffee.
The new features also apply to various driving assistants. We drove the vehicle on mountain routes – the steering wheel drives itself even on winding roads, but the driver must always be in the seat and supervise the car. You can also easily park your car yourself. An interesting novelty is the highway assistant, which changes lanes after… the driver looks at the mirror. This solution works when, of course, the car's systems make sure that such a maneuver is possible and safe. We checked – the system works and the driver gets used to it quite quickly. In Poland, this highway assistant is to be available in the second half of 2026.
See also: Elon Musk: “Humanoid robots will be everywhere.” We will lose our jobs
AI in cars is not new, but it is clear that the systems are becoming more and more advanced. In the new iX3, you can simply say “Hey BMW” and give the vehicle commands – such as adjusting the temperature accordingly or finding a suitable restaurant. You can also just talk to BMW. We asked the car what it thought about Mercedes. The vehicle responded that BMW and Mercedes “are neighbors.”
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A “new class” is coming
The iX3 will be the first vehicle from BMW's “Neue Klasse”. It manifests itself, among others, in: new car design, referring to the manufacturer's cars from the 1960s and 1970s.
As part of the “Neue Klasse”, further models of the Bavarian company will debut in 2026 – the new 3 Series, the refreshed 7 Series limousine and the X5 SUV. The car building style is intended to apply not only to electric cars, but also to future BMW combustion cars.
Not only the external design was changed, but also the interior design philosophy. For example, the iX3 model does not have classic clocks, but a “bar” (called Panoramic Vision) that shows the most important information directly under the glass – such as speed, navigation indicators or battery charge status. At the rear, however, there is no classic center tunnel.
An elongated display under the glass replaced classic displays
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Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
“Neue Klasse” is probably the largest investment in the history of the Bavarian concern. Hence the reference to a series of cars from the 1960s and 1970s – it is believed that these models helped save the brand, which was in big trouble at that time. Today, the entire European automotive industry is having problems, and it is increasingly difficult to compete with companies from China. The German “Der Spiegel” even called the iX3 a “car of hope” that can show the strength of the European automotive industry and attract back customers from the Middle Kingdom who are turning away from vehicles “made in Germany”.
The interior of the new iX3
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Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
BMW iX3
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Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
BMW completely changes the design of cars
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Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
BMW iX3
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Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
