BMW IX3: THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA
words by PHOEBE GIBSON-DOUGALL
interview by SAMO ŠAJN
To be alive right now is to live in a world constantly in motion, ever-changing and always on the cusp of groundbreaking innovation. The spheres of science and technology are always the first to taste the future and what the advancements of tomorrow will bring. BMW is one brand that has a foot firmly in both realms, and with the release of its new generation iX3 the German manufacturer maintains its rightful place within the upper echelons of motoring.
image courtesy of BMW
The new generation BMW iX3 is a fully electric Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) that offers customers their first on-road experience of a whole new era of pure driving pleasure. The iX3 will be the first BMW model in the brand’s ‘Neue-Klasse’ generation, vehicles built on a new electric-focused platform that feature a new design language and cutting-edge technology.
Numéro Netherlands was lucky enough to receive a first glimpse of the new iX3 and our writer Samo Šajn had the pleasure of sitting down with the CEO of BMW Group Netherlands, Anne Brons, to chat about what makes this model so special.
As an electric vehicle, sustainability is at the core of the iX3’s design. This model is the sixth generation of electric drive systems and is not only 30% more efficient, but also more powerful. One-third of this car uses recycled materials and nearly 100% of the car can be recycled, making BMW a leading OEM in circularity. When asked about the company’s sustainability goals, Brons had this to say, “We’ve been on a clear path since 2019. Our goal is to reduce CO2 emissions across the full life cycle of our cars by 40% by 2030. That might sound modest, but when you consider that batteries add more CO2 upfront, it’s actually a huge effort to go from a potential increase of 50% to a reduction of 40%. To achieve that, we’re working closely with our suppliers, helping them change their production processes. Our new factory is already emission-free, first designed in the metaverse, optimized virtually, and then built physically. Automotive production will always have an environmental impact, but people still need personal mobility. So our goal is to make that as sustainable as possible.”
image courtesy of BMW
Combining intelligent design and high-performance with sustainable impact is important to BMW, and the iX3 shows that the pursuit of one does not mean the automatic sacrifice of the others. Of the model’s electrification, Brons was especially excited to discuss the tech features at the heart of the iX3, “We’re especially proud of the ‘Heart of Joy,’ a central computer that’s ten times faster than before. It enables the Freude am Fahren, the sheer driving pleasure that BMW is known for, now also in the electric age. The way this car drives really stands out, not only compared to other electric cars, but also competitors. BMW has always been about driving pleasure, and this drivetrain and computer technology take that to the next level.”
When you’re the first of your kind, you must stand out and make an impression. The BMW iX3 doesn’t just stand out, it proves itself to be first car of a new era and the rightful benchmark against which all others should be judged.
images courtesy of BMW
