The BMW iX3, the first model under the Neue Klasse program, opened US orders on Wednesday with a starting price of $61,500.
The model arrives as BMW looks to reset its US electric vehicle business after a sharp first-quarter decline.
The German automaker sold 84,231 vehicles in the US in the first three months of the year, a 3.9% drop from the same period in 2025.
However, combined sales of BEV and plug-in hybrid sales plunged roughly 50% to 9,856 units.
The company has pointed to the US launch of the iX3 — named World Car of the Year and World Electric Vehicle of the Year at a ceremony in New York last month — as a key catalyst for its EV sales recovery.
Specs and Pricing
The iX3 is built on BMW‘s sixth-generation eDrive technology, an 800-volt architecture paired with new cylindrical battery cells that the company said deliver a 30% improvement in driving range and 30% faster charging speeds compared to its current EVs.
Powered by a 108.7 kWh battery, the iX3 is listed with up to 434 miles of driving range — a figure that has fluctuated in recent weeks.
BMW initially posted 400 miles, briefly updated to 434, reverted, and has now returned to the higher estimate.
DC fast-charging capacity reaches up to 400 kW, enabling a 10% to 80% recharge in approximately 21 minutes.
The base Sport trim starts at $61,500 and comes standard with 20-inch Aero Bicolor Wheels, a Multifunction Steering Wheel, and Driving Assistant Plus.
Two additional trims are available: the M Sport at $64,000 and the M Sport Professional at $65,500.
Optional packages include a comfort package at $1,500, a technology package at $1,900, a parking assistance package at $750, and a driving assistance professional package at $2,500.
Additional options range from a heated steering wheel at $200 to a panoramic glass sunroof at $950 and a Harman Kardon sound system at $650.
Including the $1,350 delivery fee, the iX3 50 xDrive is available for $62,850.
Reception in Europe and China
After opening orders in Europe in September, BMW‘s CEO Oliver Zipse said the iX3 secured more than 50,000 orders in just six months.
Late last month, the company also debuted the BMW iX3 Long Wheelbase at the Beijing Auto Show.
Developed specifically for the Chinese market, the model is scheduled to enter the market in the second half of the year.
The iX3 Long Wheelbase is planned for availability in China and selected international markets, including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and India.
Neue Klasse Expansion
Thomas Engelhardt, Senior VP for high-voltage battery and charging development at the BMW Group, said the company is rolling out Neue Klasse technologies across its entire model portfolio, including the upcoming fully electric i7 luxury sedan.
BMW also revealed the i3 sedan last month.
Despite reviving a nameplate previously used on a carbon-fibre city hatchback sold between 2013 and 2022, the new i3 is a full-size electric sports sedan positioned as the electric counterpart to the 3 Series.
The model will enter series production at BMW‘s Munich plant in August.
BMW has said most of its future EVs — including an electric 3 Series Touring wagon and larger models — will be built on the same architecture, with production spread across Munich and Debrecen, Hungary, among other plants.
Competitive Positioning
At $61,500, the iX3 undercuts several premium electric SUV competitors, including the Porsche Macan Electric at $80,300, the Mercedes EQS at $89,950, and the Audi Q6 e-tron at $63,800.
The model debuts above Rivian‘s R2 midsize SUV, which began volume production at the company’s Normal, Illinois, plant on April 22.
The R2 Performance Launch Edition starts at $57,990 with a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system producing 656 horsepower and an EPA-estimated range of up to 330 miles.
Customer deliveries are expected in the coming weeks, with employee handovers already underway.
The R2 is the vehicle that Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe has consistently described as the model that will transform the company into a large-scale, profitable automaker.
A lower-powered Premium trim at $53,990 is expected in late 2026, while the entry-level Standard variant — the most anticipated at $45,000 — is not expected until late 2027.
Rivian has also confirmed it is working on additional R2 variants beyond the three initially disclosed, including a possible R2X.
The new BMW iX3 is more expensive than the whole lineup of the Tesla Model Y — the best-selling fully electric SUV in the US.
Its standard, Rear-Wheel Drive version begins at $39,990, while the Performance, All-Wheel Drive trim is priced at $57,490.
The BMW model was likely to be positioned between the premium Model Y and the luxury Model X, which was discontinued by the end of the first quarter as the company transitions manufacturing lines towards autonomy-related projects.
