MW has just revealed a preview to the newest car in its all-electric lineup, a crossover called the iX3. Based on the normal X3, it incorporates the company’s new modular architecture, a 70kWh battery, and the brand’s new design language for its EVs.
In order to fit an electric drive system in the car, BMW developed a specialized rear axle subframe to hold everything in place. Other than that, the car is mostly X3, save for a handful of concept-y design cues like the blue split diffuser, those aerodynamically optimized wheels, and that new faux grille (which, by the way, is the first BMW grille in years not to have separated kidneys, and looks kind of like something off a Kia).
That 70kWh battery, according to BMW, makes 270 horsepower, capable of driving over 249 miles on a single charge. The iX3 also has a fast-charging unit onboard, allowing the car to fully charge its battery in 30 minutes when connected to a fast-charging station.
This is the first time we’re seeing BMW’s new flexible chassis architecture, built for front-, rear-, and all-wheel drive cars. It’s designed so all future BMWs can be easily modified to accept different types of drive systems, whether they be gas-powered, hybrid, or all-electric.
The iX3 concept is on display now at Auto China 2018. While this is just a concept, it looks almost production-ready. Considering cars like the Jaguar I-Pace are already on the road, expect a production version of this car to join them sometime soon.