To say the new iX3 (NA5) is off to a strong start would be an understatement. Since the order books opened last September, the electric SUV has accounted for a third of all BMW EV orders in Europe. Demand is so strong that a second shift will be added to the Debrecen plant much sooner than initially anticipated. The production run for the continent isn’t sold out, but you might want to act fast to secure an allocation.
In the meantime, BMW Austria is happy to report that local demand is even higher than the European average. Two out of three EVs ordered carry the iX3 50 xDrive badge, the only version currently available. The automaker’s local branch has another reason to be pleased with the strong order intake: the electric motors are built at the Steyr plant.
BMW Austria comes back off a record-breaking 2025, when registrations slightly increased to 19,216 units. None of them were iX3s since deliveries to customers are only now beginning. Last year, the iX1 came out on top with 5,218 registrations. It’ll be interesting to see whether the iX3 will dethrone the entry-level crossover.
Another BMW model that could pose a threat to the iX3’s electric dominance is the i3 sedan (NA0). However, the electric 3 Series won’t enter production until the second half of the year. Consequently, deliveries are unlikely to start before fall. Joining the EV will be the eighth-generation sports sedan (G50) with combustion engines.
To support the arrival of additional Neue Klasse models, BMW will add a second production line for electric motors at its Steyr factory in Austria. Pre-series production of high-performance electric motors has already kicked off, well ahead of the M3 ZA0’s arrival in 2027. The quad-motor setup is all but confirmed for an X3 M ZA5, also due next year. Both are rumored to offer more than 800 horsepower.
However, the Steyr site isn’t all about electric motors. BMW continues to make the B57 diesel and B58 gasoline inline-sixes in Austria. Both 3.0-liter units are being updated to comply with Euro 7 regulations, so their future is safe for the time being. The next-generation X5 (G65), arriving later this year, will have both, while the B58 is expected to power the new M Performance 3 Series, the M350.
Business is booming at BMW’s Steyr plant, as engine production increased last year to more than 1.2 million units. With locally made electric motors powering the Neue Klasse revival, the Austrian site has plenty to look forward to.
