Engineers Explain How BMW Made The iX3 A Charging And Range Powerhouse

Name: Engineers Explain How BMW Made The iX3 A Charging And Range Powerhouse
Uploaded: 2025-12-06T15:01:05Z
Duration: 29 min 19 s
Description: I sat down with BMW's charging and battery experts to learn what went into the extremely impressive iX3.

I sat down with BMW's charging and battery experts to learn what went into the extremely impressive iX3.

BMW iX3 Explainer Top

29:19

Photo by: BMW

Tim Levin

By: Tim Levin

Dec 6, 2025 at 10:01am ET

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One of the things I like most about my job is talking to experts who know a lot more than I ever will about some slice of the EV world.

Last month, when I was in Spain to drive the 2027 BMW iX3 (OK, that's a pretty nice perk too) I caught up with two of the company's engineers to ask one simple question: How did you make this SUV such a home run?

BMW iX3

The 2027 MW iX3 has an estimated 400 miles of EPA range and super-fast charging.

Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs

The iX3 represents a major upgrade from electric BMWs of the past, and it's the first BMW to use the automaker's much-hyped Neue Klasse platform. In practice, that means 400 miles of estimated EPA range (the most of any BMW EV so far) and 400-kilowatt DC fast-charging power (about double what most EVs in the U.S. can do).

All of that for a starting price of $60,000, not much more than a gas-powered X3. Check out the video above to learn all about the iX3's batteries, drivetrain and charging. I hope you learn something, because I definitely did. (You'll notice there were a few times when these guys—very kindly—corrected me when I got something wrong.)

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First, I picked the brain of Philip Guerrero, the battery lead for the Neue Klasse, about the iX3's new cells, battery pack and motors. We talked about the advent of cell-to-pack systems and why BMW chose the iX3 to debut a structural battery pack—like Tesla has been doing for years. He broke down for me all the improvements BMW made to its battery systems and how that makes a car that's lighter and more cleverly packaged.

BMW iX3

The iX3 uses new battery cells that are more energy dense and have a different shape.

Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs

Then I spoke with Lennart Lentge, who's responsible for charging on the Neue Klasse cars. He explained how you make a system that charges at such high power—a lot of it has to do with the new 800-volt architecture—plus BMW's new bidirectional charging options, a first. We also discussed an awesome new feature: Now, BMW's navigation system will call out chargers that don't meet their advertised power rating.

What do you think?

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If you want to learn more about the iX3, potentially BMW's best and most important EV ever, read my deep-dive review and check out our first drive video. And let me know: What sorts of videos would you like to see more of when we drive new cars?

Contact the author:Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com

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