BMW's new iX3 secured more than 100,000 orders in Europe within a year of its launch, EV outlet Electrek reported on Sept. 15 local time.

Since its launch in September last year, the model has accounted for about one-third of BMW's European electric-vehicle orders. The result is drawing attention as the first market response to BMW's next-generation EV platform, the Neue Klasse. BMW said the new iX3 recorded the best first-year start among the brand's new models. The company also tallied that the EV iX3 made up about half of total orders across the X3 line-up.

Earlier, Oliver Zipse (올리버 집세), BMW's chief executive officer, said iX3 orders reached 50,000 within six months of the launch. After one year, they surpassed 100,000 in Europe alone. Jochen Goller (요헨 골러), who oversees BMW's global sales, brand management and marketing, said, "100,000 orders within one year is a fantastic start for the Neue Klasse."

Early demand is also being confirmed outside Europe. BMW began selling the new iX3 in China last month. The starting price is 269,900 yuan (about 55.2 million won). Local dealers said their sales teams had no time to rest after the pre-sale price was disclosed, and that it was not easy to respond because there were too many interested customers. In China, tens of thousands of small-amount blind pre-orders were reported to have come in in less than a week.

The new iX3 is likely to play a key role in BMW's competition with EV leaders such as Tesla and BYD. The vehicle is BMW's first EV to use the Neue Klasse platform and the first model to carry its sixth-generation eDrive architecture. BMW said it improved charging speed and driving range by 30 percent each based on a new 800-volt electric architecture and cylindrical battery cells.

Its charging performance also shows BMW's generational shift strategy. The new iX3 supports up to 400 kilowatts of DC fast charging and can charge from 10 percent to 80 percent in about 21 minutes. In Germany, the iX3 40 is sold from 63,400 euros and offers a WLTP driving range of 628 km. The higher-trim iX3 50 xDrive starts at 73,925 euros and supports up to 805 km.

In the United States, the 2027 iX3 50 xDrive is sold from $61,500 (about 84.4 million won) and presented a maximum driving range of 434 miles (about 700 km) based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard. Sales conditions differ by region, but BMW is expanding next-generation EV technology in earnest through the new iX3.

BMW also plans to take orders later this month for the i3, the second EV in the Neue Klasse line-up. BMW said the new i3 is also showing stronger-than-expected initial demand. The company plans to roll out 40 new and updated models using Neue Klasse technology and design by the end of 2027. Attention is on whether the iX3's early success will become a starting point for expanding the electrified product range.