BMW's Neue Klasse iX3 Files in China, Pre-Orders Open With November Deliveries

BMW has filed a long-wheelbase variant of its Neue Klasse iX3 electric SUV in China, with pre-orders now open ahead of deliveries that are expected to begin in November.

The China-specific model, which has been separately developed for the Chinese market, appears in recent filings with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). It sits on an extended wheelbase compared with the global Neue Klasse iX3, a strategy BMW has increasingly adopted to cater to Chinese buyers' preference for rear-seat space.

Starting price: approx. $39,810 (China market 269,900 RMB)

Pre-orders have opened at the above starting price, positioning the Neue Klasse iX3 competitively against rivals such as the Tesla Model Y and the Li Auto L6 in China's fiercely contested mid-size electric SUV segment.

The Neue Klasse platform represents BMW's most significant EV architecture shift in years, featuring an eighth-generation eDrive system, next-generation cell chemistry, and an 800V high-voltage platform that enables faster charging times. The iX3 is expected to roll off the production line at BMW's Tienda plant in China for the local market.