Article Summary
- The entry-level 2026 BMW iX3 starts at RMB 269,900, or around $40,000 at current exchange rates.
- China gets a stretched BMW iX3 with extra wheelbase length for increased rear-seat legroom.
- The standard-wheelbase iX3 sold globally is closing in on 100,000 orders.
We first saw the long-wheelbase iX3 at the end of May, but we had to wait until today for BMW to dish out pricing details. Launching in China this week, where pre-orders are now open, the bigger electric SUV gets unified pricing across the country. Pricing starts at RMB 269,900, which works out to about $40,000 or €34,300 at current exchange rates. That’s much less than what the company is charging outside China, where it sells its first modern Neue Klasse model with a standard wheelbase.
To be fair, the entry-level iX3 in China has no equivalent in global markets. The base price applies to the 30L model, which uses a smaller 77-kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery. It has enough juice for 630 kilometers (391 miles) of range, albeit on the notoriously lenient CLTC cycle. This rear-wheel-drive model with a single motor takes about 22 minutes to charge from 10 to 80 percent. If you’re in a hurry, 10 minutes at a charging station adds enough juice for 260 miles (418 kilometers).
If the range doesn’t cut it, the dual-motor iX3 40L xDrive is officially rated at 436 miles (702 kilometers) and starts at RMB 299,900 ($44,600 / €38,100). For reference, BMW wants €63,400 for the rear-wheel-drive, single-motor iX3 40 in Germany. It’s worth noting that the listed battery capacities are different: 86.9 kWh for the Chinese model and 82.6 kWh for the global version. For now, there is no standard-wheelbase iX3 40 xDrive.
Affordable Pricing, Plenty Of Standard Kit
Step up to the iX3 50L xDrive, and you’ll pay RMB 339,900 before options. That’s $50,500 or €43,200. By comparison, BMW USA charges $62,850, while its German counterparts want €70,900. Again, the Chinese version’s battery has a slightly higher listed energy content, at 113.4 kWh, good for 571 miles (919 kilometers) between recharging stops. In the US, the battery is listed at 112.2 kWh, and in Europe, at 108.7 kWh.
As if the Chinese pricing wasn’t impressive enough, BMW throws in a lot of standard equipment. Goodies such as heated front and rear seats are included even on the base model. To sweeten the deal, ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel come standard from the get-go. The same goes for the three-zone automatic climate control and Harman Kardon sound system.
The long-wheelbase iX3 won’t remain exclusive to China for much longer. BMW has already announced plans to sell the “NA6” in India, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Meanwhile, the standard-wheelbase “NA5” has already hit the 50,000th production milestone and is closing in on 100,000 orders.
