Exactly a week after opening up the online order books for the 2022 BMW i4 Gran Coupe, BMW Australia has made the same move with the next instalment of its electric vehicle onslaught: the 2021 BMW iX3.
Due to arrive about six months earlier than the BMW i4 Gran Coupe, the BMW iX3 is expected in the fourth quarter of this year and is the German premium brand’s best chance yet at cracking the burgeoning EV market as it’s basically a zero-emissions version of the popular BMW X3.
There’s no word yet on pricing or local specification, but expect the iX3 to start at around $130,000 to take up the fight to rivals such as the Audi e-tron, Mercedes-Benz EQC and Jaguar I-PACE.
It’ll also land at around the same time as the battery-electric X5-sized BMW iX, first orders for which were similarly offered online at the end of last year.
BMW Australia says that buyers who reserve their vehicle online via the BMW Shop and place a $500 deposit will be able to “select and specify their iX3 in co-ordination with their preferred dealer throughout this year” – once the all-important details about the local line-up become available.
We’ve already driven the BMW iX3 overseas and have come away impressed with the new SUV, which is powered by a single electric motor that delivers a punchy 210kW of power and 400Nm of torque.
It drives the rear wheels and combines with an 80kWh lithium-ion battery pack that offers a range of up to 460km on the WLTP test cycle.