Lee Min-hyung joined The Korea Times in 2014 and has worked as a journalist mainly in Korea’s finance, tech and automotive industry. He specializes in content creation, breaking news and in-depth analysis currently on transportation and mobility. You can reach him via mhlee@koreatimes.co.kr.
BMW Korea launches iX3 electric SUV with revamped design
Seen above are BMW's flagship all-electric iX3 SUVs built on the automaker's next-generation Neue Klasse electric vehicle architecture. Courtesy of BMW Korea
By Lee Min-hyung
Flagship electric SUV travels up to 611 kilometers on single charge
BMW Korea has launched its highly-anticipated all-electric SUV — the iX3 — featuring the carmaker’s next-generation Neue Klasse design language, the company said Thursday.
The vehicle comes with symbolic significance as the carmaker’s first mass-produced model built on the completely revamped exterior design.
The premium electric SUV blends a modern reinterpretation of BMW’s iconic 1960s heritage with futuristic innovations spanning design, digital integration and electrification technology, the carmaker said.
Powered by the sixth-generation BMW eDrive system, the new iX3 introduces the brand’s first cylindrical cell battery technology.
Utilizing a “cell-to-pack” manufacturing method that integrates battery cells directly into the pack without modules, the vehicle has achieved a 20 percent increase in energy density and a 30 percent boost in driving range.
Equipped with a 113.4 kilowatt-hour high-voltage battery, the flagship iX3 50 xDrive model boasts a single-charge driving range of up to 611 kilometers under Korean certification standards.
Its 800-volt architecture enables ultra-fast charging, so the vehicle can travel up to 250 kilometers after only 10 minutes of charge.
The German term Neue Klasse translates to an entirely new class, which also symbolizes the carmaker’s next-generation electric vehicle (EV) architecture.
“By 2027, BMW Korea will integrate the technology of Neue Klasse into roughly 40 new or refreshed models all across diverse powertrains, such as gasoline, diesel, plug-in hybrid and pure EVs,” said Kim Se-young, head of BMW Korea’s sales planning and operation team.
BMW's flagship all-electric iX3 SUVs / Courtesy of BMW Korea
The vehicle's software-centric control system features the “Heart of Joy,” a combination of four high-performance supercomputers. Processing data 20 times faster than previous systems, it seamlessly governs driving dynamics, driver assistance and infotainment.
The price for the vehicle starts at 79.9 million won ($52,400). Deliveries are scheduled to begin on July 6.
BMW Korea expects the new electric SUV to absorb growing demand for premium all-electric SUVs and steal the limelight of Tesla whose EV sales are soaring here on the robust popularity of its Model Y.
BMW Korea maintained its top sales spot in the nation’s imported vehicle market last year, but Tesla is rapidly emerging as a formidable threat.
Tesla’s combined vehicle sales for the first five months this year reached roughly 45,000, up 250 percent from the previous year, according to data from the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association.
The figure is the highest among imported carmakers. BMW Korea yielded the top spot to Tesla and came in second with auto sales of 32,581 during the same period.