After losing to Tesla in the first round, BMW says it’s ready for another chance. BMW is taking aim at Tesla as it looks to win back drivers with longer-range, ultra-fast charging EVs, starting with the new iX3.
Will the new BMW iX3 go head-to-head with Tesla?
BMW promises its next-gen electric vehicles, dubbed “Neue Klasse,” are drastically more efficient, smarter, and more advanced than its current lineup.
The new iX3 will be the first to showcase BMW’s latest tech, which the German auto giant claims will “be the benchmark of the industry.”
Can it compete with Tesla, though? When the first-gen model launched in 2020, buyers essentially had two choices for a luxury EV: the iX3 or Tesla Model Y. We all know who won that rivalry. And it wasn’t even close. However, fast forward a few years, and BMW is preparing for round 2.
According to CEO Oliver Zipse, the new BMW iX3 will have a driving range of up to 800 km (497 miles) on the European WLTP rating scale.
With up to 400 kW fast-charging, it can recharge enough to drive from New York to Washington, DC, in about 10 minutes.
Zipse told Bloomberg during a new interview that “this will be the benchmark of the industry.” For comparison, the Tesla Model Y Long Range has a WLTP range of up to 622 km (386 miles) and a maximum charging rate of 250 kW.
Longer range, faster charging, and advanced new tech
The upcoming Neue Klasse will show the world that BMW “can build superior electric cars, and the rest of the market will have to answer,” Zipse said.
BMW created its new EV platform from the ground up using the most advanced tech, batteries, and other components
The new “superbrain”, which powers the infotainment and other features like self-driving, packs 20 times the computing power of BMW’s current models. BMW used expertise from six global hubs, including Portugal, South Africa, China, India, Romania, and the US, to bring it to life.
BMW’s new cylindrical battery cells, which will power the new iX3 (and all Neue Klasse EVs), are 20% more efficient than their predecessors.
During the interview, Zipse was asked if Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s rising unpopularity offered an opportunity for BMW. Zipse avoided the question, saying BMW is doubling down on vehicles that customers “enjoy and are proud to drive without having to justify their choice.”
Zipse went on to explain that Tesla’s dominance in the US market was largely due to regulatory credits. “What we’ve more or less witnessed is the transfer of funding from an allegedly ‘old’ industry to a so-called ‘new’ industry,” BMW’s boss explained.
Will the new iX3 go head-to-head with the Tesla Model Y? We will soon find out. BMW will begin building Neue Klasse models next year, starting with the iX3, with customer deliveries expected shortly after.
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