BMW is preparing a ground-breaking new EV-dedicated architecture to underpin the next generation of electric cars. It’s named “Neue Klasse” (New Class) as a homage to the BMW models from the 1960s that helped the German carmaker recover from difficult times. The Neue Klasse modular platform is flexible enough to allow building cars “from a 2-Series-sized saloon up to an X7-sized SUV,” said BMW’s development chief Frank Weber
The Neue Klasse family will start in the heart of BMW’s sales segment with a sports activity vehicle (the BMW iX3) and a saloon (the BMW i3). In the first two years of production, BMW plans at least six EV models based on the new platform. The next-generation BMW iX3 is expected to start sales in late 2025. As you can imagine, BMW is busy making the last preparations and fine-tuning the upcoming SAV.
Our photographers now stumbled upon a camouflaged BMW iX3 prototype somewhere in the countryside outside Munich. The proportions and style show that the next-generation iX3 will not stray too far from the current design, although the front is clearly following the Neue Klasse design language. Although covered, the kidney grille and the shark face remind of the BMW Vision Neue Klasse concept, which was said to preview the future electric 3-Series sedan, the BMW i3.
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The 2025 BMW iX3 will likely be the first model of the Neue Klasse family, with the four-door saloon (BMW i3) following a year later. The new modular architecture allows BMW to offer front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive, and all-wheel-drive configurations, as well as different wheelbases, track widths, and ground clearance for a wide range of models.
The Neue Klasse also introduces a crucial change, as BMW switches from prismatic cells to round cells, similar to Tesla’s new 4680 cells. They are taller, at 120 mm instead of 80 mm, thus earning the 46120 name. For battery packs with a lower energy capacity, BMW might also use smaller 4695 cells, which are 95 mm tall.
The change marks the debut of the sixth generation of BMW eDrive technology, which promises 20 per cent higher energy density, 30 per cent faster charging speed, and up to 50 per cent lower production costs than BMW’s current EV architecture. For the upcoming iX3, this means more than 600 km of range based on the European WLTP standard. BMW will likely offer different battery capacities, with the more affordable crossing the 500 km barrier.
BMW will produce the Neue Klasse models at several factories around the globe, including the Spartanburg plant in the US. The first models will start at BMW’s factory in Debrecen (Hungary), with the Shenyang (China) plant following in 2026.
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