BMW iX3 to arrive in South Africa early next year

BMW South Africa has confirmed that the 2022 BMW iX3 will hit the roads in the first quarter of next year. Based on the BMW X3, available in petrol, diesel, and plug-in hybrid powertrains, the iX3 is Munich-based automaker’s first “mass-market” electric SUV since 2013.

While it appears similar to its gas-powered sibling, there are slight differences in the front aprons, a faux dual kidney grille, and electric blue accents (optional). Globally, BMW offers it in two variants: iX3 Inspiring and iX3 Impressive. Pricing information is not available yet.

The iX3 SUV features a single motor that gets its juice from a 74kWh battery pack creating 210kW and 400Nm of torque. The power goes to the rear wheels; sorry, there is no dual-motor, all-wheel-drive version available yet. This energy is enough to allow the luxury electric SUV to hit 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds.

Thanks to the German automaker’s revolutionary work in electric mobility, the new iX3 uses "fifth-generation eDrive technology." The company has built the drivetrain and battery in-house and made it 30 per cent more energy-dense than the i3. The automaker says it is 93 percent efficient (the BMW’s combustion mill is about 40 percent).

While this electric utility vehicle doesn’t have the biggest battery, it still manages 460 km (286 miles) of range on the WLTP cycle. Besides its 20 percent extra energy storage, it is super-fast to charge. BMW claims owners can juice up the battery up to 80 percent on a 150 kilowatts charger in only 34 minutes. An addition of 100 km in only 10 minutes is another ace on its credentials.

We can see a prominent kidney grille, adaptive LED headlights, and 3D LED rear lights on the outside. Inside, you find a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, Sensatec sport seats, and Live Cockpit Professional supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Depending on the trim level, the standard features for the Inspiring include adaptive suspension, automatic tailgate system, a panoramic glass roof, mechanically modifiable seats, a leather steering wheel, and a triple-function automatic climate control system with pre-heating and pre-conditioning function.

The flagship Impressive adds acoustic glazing, BMW Head-Up Display, Harman Kardon Surround Sound System, and BMW IconicSounds Electric to the list of facilities.

The 2022 iX3 comes equipped with BMW’s Driving Assistant Professional suite. It has a host of safety systems that keep you protected on the road, such as Steering and Lane Control Assistant, Cruise Control with Stop & Go function, automatic Speed Limit Assist and route monitoring, as well as Parking Assistant with Reversing Assist Camera and Reversing Assistant.

Stay tuned! We will give you the pricing details before its launch next year.