The BMW Group is extending the reach of its all-electric mobility offering to the company’s core brands. The BMW Concept iX3—presented for the first time at the Auto China 2018 show in Beijing—offers a look ahead to the expansion of the model line-up in this area. The first BMW brand model to be driven purely by electric power will be a fully-fledged Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV).

Among the innovations showcased in the BMW Concept iX3 is the fifth generation of BMW eDrive technology, which groups the electric motor, transmission and power electronics within a new, separate electric drive component. Plus, the fifth-generation electric drive system also includes new and more powerful batteries.

The version of the fifth-generation electric motor developed for the SAV generates maximum output of more than 200 kW/270 hp. The likewise model-specific high-voltage battery has a net capacity of more than 70 kWh, which is enough to give the electric SAV a range of up to 400 kilometers (249 miles) in the WLTP cycle.

Another feature of the high-voltage battery developed for the fifth generation of eDrive technology is its optimized charging capability. The energy storage system has a newly developed Charging Control Unit and is designed to be hooked up to fast-charging stations generating up to 150 kW. The high-voltage battery can be charged in just 30 minutes from one of these stations.

This fresh package of technology, making its debut in the Concept iX3, brings advances in terms of performance characteristics, operating range, weight, packaging space and flexibility.

The future series-production version of the electrically powered SAV will also benefit from the technological basis underpinning the powertrain of the BMW iNext, due to be presented in 2021.

The BMW Brilliance Automotive joint venture will produce the future series-production version of the BMW Concept iX3 in Shenyang, China.

Flexible architecture. With the BMW Concept iX3, the BMW Group is opening a new chapter in its electrification strategy. The future will see the flexible, further developed vehicle architectures accommodating all types of front-wheel, rear-wheel and all-wheel drive. This will pave the way for models from all the company’s brands to be equipped with different drive system variants. A pure combustion engine, plug-in hybrid drive system or battery-electric solution can be integrated into any model, as desired.

The launch of the fifth-generation electric drive system technology once again makes integration into different vehicle architectures significantly easier. The individual components of this new BMW eDrive technology stand out with their lower weight, scalability and compact construction. In order to exploit this potential, the vehicle architectures of current and future models from all the company’s brands will allow for the integration of different drive system variants.

The BMW X3, on which the concept vehicle is based, is one of the first models the architecture of which demonstrates this flexibility. In addition, the BMW Concept iX3 features a specially developed rear axle subframe and specific chassis integration.