BMW is gearing up for the production
launch of the all-electric 2021 iX3 at the BMW Brilliance Automotive Dadong
factory in China, which is scheduled to start in late summer as originally
planned. The German carmaker has successfully completed the homologation
process of the 2021 iX3, with the results submitted to regulatory authorities
in key markets.
The whole process required more than 340
hours of testing, including over 7,700 km (of test drives to be
completed within four weeks. The factory in China, which will be responsible
for supplying the global market (excluding the North American region), recently
completed the build of the 200th pre-production example of the iX3.
BMW says that the iX3 will offer around 440 km of driving range, according to preliminary data on the
European WLTP cycle, from a 74 kWh battery pack mounted within the floor. The
electric motor will be mounted on the rear axle and produce 286 PS and 400 Nm of torque.
The upcoming iX3 will be the first BMW to
feature the “fifth-generation eDrive technology”, which will be applied to
other Bavarian EVs like the i4 and the iNext flagship SUV. BMW’s latest
electric powertrain will have the motor, electronics, and transmission
integrated into a common housing, making it more compact and very flexible to
install into different bodies. In addition, the carmaker claims that their
electric motor doesn’t require the use of rare earth metals, freeing them up
from any potential availability issues.
The BMW iX3 will be produced on the same
line as the ICE-powered X3. The final production iX3 is basically using the
same body with the X3, but it will feature model-specific aero addenda and
wheels to make it more slippery through the air and visually distinctive. First
customers will take delivery of the 2021 BMW iX3 by the end of the year.
