Article Summary
- The BMW iX3 40 is a single-motor, rear-wheel-drive version with a battery pack downsized to 82.6 kWh.
- The rear motor produces 315 horsepower, enabling a sprint to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 5.9 seconds.
- It goes 635 kilometers (395 miles) on a single charge in the WLTP cycle.
BMW is democratizing EVs by introducing a more affordable version of its first Neue Klasse model in the modern era. Following last year’s launch of the iX3 50 xDrive, the new 40 sits at the bottom of the lineup. It forgoes the all-wheel-drive layout by removing the front motor, resulting in a rear-wheel-drive configuration.
Another downgrade comes from the battery, as it eschews the 108.7-kWh pack of its more expensive sibling. Instead, the iX3 40 makes do with an 82.6-kWh battery, good for 635 kilometers (395 miles) of range in the WLTP cycle. You’ll be sacrificing 170 kilometers (106 miles) of range compared to the iX3 50 xDrive.
The smaller battery also has another disadvantage: the maximum charging power drops from 400 to 300 kW. Nevertheless, it takes only 10 minutes to replenish the battery for 300 kilometers (186 miles) of range. If you’d rather follow the usual 10-to-80 percent cycle, BMW says it completes the charge in just 21 minutes.
As for power, the rear-mounted electric motor produces 315 hp and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) of torque. By comparison, the dual-motor variant delivers an extra 148 hp and 145 Nm (107 lb-ft). The drop in output is reflected in the sprint to 62 mph (100 km/h), as the iX3 40 needs 5.9 seconds, a full second more than the iX3 50 xDrive. It also has a slightly lower top speed of 124 mph (200 km/h), down by 6 mph (10 km/h).
BMW doesn’t mention the weight, but we expect it to be significantly lower after deleting the front motor and fitting a smaller battery. For reference, the iX3 50 xDrive weighs 2,285 kilograms (5,037 pounds) in European specification. Realistically, the iX3 40 should come in at just over 2,000 kg (4,409 lbs).
As you’d expect, there’s a major upside to the lesser technical specifications: pricing. BMW is asking €63,400 for the iX3 40 in Germany, making it €7,500 cheaper than the iX3 50 xDrive. It goes on sale domestically this summer.
We’re also expecting an iX3 40 xDrive to join the lineup at some point. It’s unclear whether BMW will offer the larger battery on 40 models, which would make the lighter rear-wheel-drive version the new range king. Additions at the other end of the lineup are also planned, including the iX3 M60, which is likely to arrive before the end of the year. Toward the end of 2027, a true M version will crown the portfolio.
