BMW New Class EV prototypes use next-generation electric motors

The BMW Steyr plant began producing the next generation of electric motors in September. Gen6 powertrains are already being delivered to the new factory in Debrecen, Hungary. The first new class model will roll off the assembly line there at the end of 2025. Specifically, the hardware is in the brand new iX3, which was recently caught testing. In addition, car paparazzi also spotted the i3 during the preliminary evaluation. The sedan will be assembled in Munich, Germany from 2026.

Curiously, BMW calls its new hardware an “electric motor” or simply an “e-motor,” but technical specifications are not available. The luxury brand is holding back about the drivetrain and prefers to talk about the batteries. Round cells will have more than 20% higher energy density than current prismatic cells. It is estimated that charging speed and range will increase by 30%.

When the Vision New Class X premiered earlier this year, BMW boasted about aerodynamic improvements. The crossover was said to have a 20% lower drag coefficient than the CLAR-based iX3 currently on sale. Taking new tires and brakes into account, the Bavarians promise an overall increase in efficiency of 25%. Some of the green references will come from “improved electric drive units,” another term used by company officials.

After the iX3 and i3 sedans, at least four models will come onto the market by 2028. However, BMW has not revealed her identity yet. Our sources near Munich claim an i3 Touring and an iX4 are planned. Rumor has it that all four cars will get the full-fat M treatment, most notably the i3 sedan. From 2026, China-specific New Class models will be built locally. A year later, iX3 production also started in Mexico at the San Luis Potosí plant.

The BMW Group (including MINI and Rolls-Royce) still believes that electric vehicles can account for 50% of annual sales by 2030. It is around this time that British brands will move away from combustion engines and offer purely electric model ranges. In 2023, zero-emission vehicles accounted for just 14.7% of all deliveries, meaning the automotive company still has a mountain to climb in the next five years.

Source: BMW