EXCLUSIVE: Next-gen BMW iX3 seen in China as the German automaker aims to boost NEV sales

4 min to read

Aug 19, 2025 9:11 PM CEST

Denis Bobylev

Next-gen BMW iX3 spotted in China as the German automaker aims to boost local NEV sales

The next-gen BMW iX3 was spotted in Shanghai. Credit: CarNewsChina

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The next-gen BMW iX3 was spotted in China during road tests. Deriving from the Neue Klasse X revealed last year, the new SUV will enter BMW’s largest market with a strategic goal of boosting the brand’s local NEV sales. It will offer up 900 km of range.

A CarNewsChina reader sent us pictures of the mysterious BMW car covered with camouflage. These photos were taken in downtown Shanghai. It isn’t a typical district for conducting road tests. And the car is unusual as well. It is a European-made car with a German license plate in the front. It was cruising next to a local BMW facility.

BMW iX3 spy shots

The spotted car was heavily covered with camouflage. However, a specific front end with large headlights and distinguishing taillights helped us to recognize it. The spotted model is the next-gen BMW iX3 electric crossover based on the Neue Klasse X concept car. Its prototype was shown by the German Automaker in June 2025. It will make an international debut at the IAA Mobility 2025, which will take place in Munich in September.

We recognized the new iX3 by its headlamps and taillights

It was previously reported that the new BMW iX3 will be first manufactured in Germany. However, its production will also start in China in the future as the German automaker aims to boost the local demand for its NEVs. The current BMW iX3 G08 crossover barely sells in China as the competition in the NEV segment is intense. According to China EV DataTracker, BMW sold 8,475 units of the iX3 from January to July 2025. For comparison, the petrol-powered X3 sold 39,571 vehicles.

China is still the largest market for BMW. However, a local switch towards hybrid and electric cars bears the risk for the German brand. China will become one of the most important markets for the upcoming BMW electric car. Therefore, it isn’t surprising that the car with German license plates was seen in Shanghai, as it conducts road tests in the highly competitive NEV environment.

Back to the spy shots, the next-gen iX3 adopts a relatively low beltline and sculpted rear fenders. The car’s door handles adopt a retractable mechanism to reduce the drag. Another highlight of the car is five-spoke rims with aerodynamic covers. From the back, the new model has two slender taillight units and a roof spoiler. Its tailgate door is surprisingly short. So, we may assume that the new iX3 will have a large trunk sill height.

More about the BMW iX3

BMW officials previously said that the new top-trim iX3 50 xDrive will offer an electric range of 800 km under WLTP conditions, thanks to the cylindrical battery cell usage. The CLTC range is 900 km while the EPA range is 400 miles (640 km). It will be able to charge 350 km of range in 10 minutes thanks to an 800V high-voltage system. The maximum charging power will reach 400 kW.

BMW Neue Klasse X concept car. Credit: BMW

The interior of the new BMW iX3 will offer a pillar-to-pillar panoramic vision head-up display that projects information onto a black printed surface. Moreover, the German SUV will have an HUD that will project core information for the driver above the panoramic vision display. Other features of the new model include the ADAS system powered by AI. This combination will allow the iX3 to change lanes when the driver looks at the side-view mirror.

Momenta will develop an intelligent driving solution for BMW’s Neue Klasse products, including the new iX3 crossover. It will encompass point-to-point navigation-assisted driving across urban and highway scenarios. Momenta’s proprietary end-to-end large model will also be integrated into these new vehicles.

There is no information about the new iX3 dimensions and peak power output. However, it is clear that the new model will be more powerful than its predecessor. We will remind you that the outgoing BMW iX3 offers a single electric motor for 210 kW on the rear axle (282 hp). The next-gen car will have an optional dual-motor AWD. As for the dimensions, the head of BMW i Design, Kai Langer, previously shared with the BMW Blog that the iX3 is bigger than its predecessor but smaller than the X5. We will list their dimensions below.

BMW iX3 G08: 4734/1891/1668 mm, wheelbase 2,864 mm
BMW X5 G05: 4935/2004/1745 mm, wheelbase 2,975 mm

In China, the next-gen BMW iX3 will face a wide range of strong rivals, including the recently launched Xiaomi YU7. The mentioned EV rapidly turned into a hit in China by getting 289,000 orders within an hour. It offers 830 km of range and up to 508 kW (681 hp). What is more, this car costs 253,500 – 329,900 yuan (35,300 – 45,930 USD).