From recycled materials to the energy used to produce it and emissions across the entire lifecycle, with the iX3 Bmw reimagines the electric car.
Meet the new Bmw iX3: an SUV, fully electric, promising up to over 800 kilometres of electric range and a charge that recovers nearly 400 kilometres in just 10 minutes. The first impression of the new iX3 is visual, and it does not disappoint. What immediately catches the eye is the new direction in design: solid surfaces, more restrained lines, well-balanced volumes, and flush door handles that give the body one of the lowest aerodynamic drag coefficients (0.24) in its class — a byword for energy efficiency and low consumption (a finding confirmed by our own test of the iX3 on a route from Milano to Cortina d'Ampezzo, with long motorway stretches, traditionally the most challenging terrain for an electric car).
Unveiled in its world premiere at the 2025 IAA Mobility show in Monaco, the Bmw iX3 is not "merely" the electric car that — among the very first to do so — allows drivers to experience hands-free autonomous driving on the motorway (more on that shortly), but represents a genuine milestone, both technologically and stylistically. In practical terms, we are talking about a generously sized SUV (4.78 metres in length, 1.90 in width). The flush door handles contribute to a drag coefficient of 0.24, a record figure for an SUV in this segment and fundamental for maximising range. Price starting from €69,900.
Before discussing technology and performance, however, there is another story to tell — perhaps the most important one, even if less visible: that of a car conceived to be circular, sustainable not only when in motion, but at every stage of its life. At Bmw they call it "Design for circularity", an commitment to the circular economy of the car that extends from material selection at the design stage through to optimising disassembly at end of life. In the case of the iX3, we are talking about a car in which one third of all materials consists of secondary matter — that is, recycled or secondary materials.
From battery cells made up of 50 per cent recycled cobalt, lithium and nickel, to battery production itself where anodes, cathodes and cells are assembled using exclusively renewable energy. Then there is the plastic used in various components, recycled from old fishing nets, and the aluminium. The interior, too, tells this story: linings, fabrics and padding designed as mono-materials to simplify recycling at end of life. The same logic applies to the centre console, the dashboard and part of the interior floor covering.
And then there is where the iX3 is born: the Bmw plant in Debrecen, Hungary, the group's first facility to operate without fossil fuels, where electricity is generated largely by photovoltaic panels and then stored in energy storage systems and used to heat the body-painting ovens — one of the most energy-intensive processes in vehicle manufacturing. Bmw has translated this commitment into concrete figures: when charged on the average European energy mix, the iX3 surpasses the carbon footprint of an equivalent combustion-engine car after approximately 21,500 km; when charged from renewable sources, that figure drops to 17,500 kilometres. For those wishing to delve deeper, the document setting out the carbon footprint calculation across the entire lifecycle of the Bmw iX3 is available for download here.
Stepping inside the Bmw iX3, one has the immediate sensation of entering something new — not necessarily something alien. Forget suspended screens at the centre of the dashboard; well, those are there too (17.9 inches). But the real novelty is called Panoramic iDrive, a slender light band that stretches the full width of the windscreen along its lower edge, projecting all essential information into the driver's field of vision without causing distraction.
An information strip displaying data such as speed, navigation and remaining range — all fully customisable with widgets such as weather, radio and much more, which can be dragged and positioned at will (weather, radio, clock…). Those who prefer traditional buttons will need to adapt, however: conventional controls have been reduced to a bare minimum. The driving position is elevated, by the book, as Bmw has always accustomed us — a brand that has consistently paid close attention to everything that contributes to driving pleasure. The materials? As well as being "circular", they are carefully crafted, conveying a restrained elegance. Interior space? Thanks in part to the new cell-to-pack battery architecture, which serves as the structural floor pan, the interior is both remarkably spacious and completely flat.
The 50 xDrive version we tested — the only one currently available — is equipped with 2 electric motors: one at the rear and a more compact one at the front, for a combined output of 345 kW (469 hp). There is little need to dwell on the impressive performance figures in terms of acceleration or top speed, which far exceed legal road limits; for a sustainable driving style, sporty performance doesn't always have positive implications (see reduced range). On the iX3, the most interesting figure is something else entirely: efficiency — 4.1 km/kWh on the declared mixed cycle, a value that can actually be surpassed in real-world driving with a little care.
Of the 800 kilometres of declared average electric range, you can realistically expect around 600 — still a remarkable figure. Much of the credit goes to the 108.7 kWh battery, to the 800 V architecture that enables very fast charging (meaning you can go from 10 to 80 per cent in 20 minutes at a fast charge station — where in many cases you no longer even need a card or an app — or recover around 370 km in just 10 minutes), and to a brand-new powertrain that has reduced energy losses by 40 per cent compared to the previous generation. Then there is bidirectional charging, thanks to which the iX3 can power external devices such as an electric scooter, or act as a storage unit for a home solar panel system.
On one hand, there is the sheer pleasure of driving an electric car. Then there is that particular driving pleasure that has always been a non-negotiable hallmark of Bmw — translated into a sporty setup and a steering feel that delivers a pure, precise driving experience. Thanks to the battery housed in the floor, which lowers the centre of gravity, and an electronic control system that manages all driving dynamics in just a few milliseconds, the iX3 is one of the most enjoyable electric cars to drive. Even in the city, where the one-pedal function allows you to minimise brake use and maximise energy regeneration. Then there are state-of-the-art driver assistance systems — efficient and never intrusive. For the lazier driver, there is even automatic parking. But the real surprise is the ability to drive on the motorway, within the speed limit (130 kilometres per hour), hands-free.
Yes, you read that right: the iX3 offers the most advanced level of autonomous driving; it maintains speed, takes corners, brakes and accelerates. It even overtakes on its own; it first asks you (with a prompt on the instrument cluster) and, if you accept, all you need to do is check the wing mirrors — the car does the rest: it indicates, accelerates, and then asks whether you want to return to the previous lane. Wow! The effect is remarkable. Though not without room for improvement: the car reads road signs, and if — as sometimes happens in Italy — the signage isn't quite up to scratch, the car may make the odd misjudgement, braking or accelerating when not needed. No cause for alarm; they know this perfectly well in Munich (Bmw's home city) too — autonomous driving today is not meant to replace the driver (otherwise, farewell driving pleasure…). Rather, it aims to assist, improving comfort and peace of mind behind the wheel. Still sceptical? To borrow a famous advertising slogan from the 1980s: seeing is believing.