BMW Confirms iX4 as Third Neue Klasse EV, Bringing Coupe-SUV Styling to New Electric Platform

BMW will launch an electric iX4 as the third model on its forthcoming Neue Klasse platform, extending the coupe-SUV silhouette that has defined the X4 since 2014 into the automaker’s dedicated electric architecture. The decision signals BMW’s commitment to preserving its niche body styles even as it transitions to a modular EV-only underpinning set to debut in 2025.

The Neue Klasse architecture represents BMW’s most significant engineering overhaul since the 1970s. It introduces sixth-generation cylindrical battery cells — 46 millimeters in diameter with two height variants — that the company claims will deliver 30% greater range, 30% faster charging, and 50% lower cell manufacturing cost compared to current prismatic packs. An 800-volt electrical system supports peak charging rates up to 350 kW, enabling 300 kilometers of range in ten minutes under ideal conditions.

Four models have now been confirmed for the initial Neue Klasse wave: the iX3 compact SUV, a 3 Series-sized sedan, the iX4 coupe-SUV, and a yet-unnamed vehicle widely expected to be a 3 Series Touring wagon. Production of the iX3 begins at BMW’s Debrecen, Hungary plant in late 2025, followed by the sedan at the Munich mother plant in 2026. The iX4’s production site and timing have not been disclosed, though Munich and the Spartanburg, South Carolina facility — which builds the current X3, X4, X5, and X6 — are candidates.

BMW’s current iX3, sold in Europe and China since 2020, rides on the CLAR platform shared with combustion models. The Neue Klasse iX3 and iX4 will be the first BMW SUVs engineered exclusively as electric vehicles, allowing flat floors, shorter overhangs, and interior packaging unconstrained by drivetrain tunnels or exhaust routing. The current X4 sacrifices rear headroom and cargo volume for its sloping roofline; the Neue Klasse’s configurable battery height and front- or rear-motor layouts could mitigate those compromises.

The iX4 will compete directly with the Mercedes-Benz EQC Coupe and the upcoming Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron, both targeting the premium coupe-SUV segment that BMW effectively created with the original X6 in 2008. Mercedes has already confirmed its MMA platform will underpin a GLC Coupe successor, while Audi’s PPE architecture supports the Q6 Sportback. All three German rivals are converging on 800-volt architectures and cylindrical cells within the same 2025-2027 window.

BMW has not released powertrain specifications for any Neue Klasse model. The current iX3 M60 produces 400 kW (536 hp) from dual motors with a 79 kWh usable battery, yielding 450 kilometers WLTP range. Neue Klasse vehicles are expected to offer single-motor rear-drive and dual-motor all-wheel-drive variants across power tiers mirroring the 35, 40, 50, and M60 designations used today. A high-performance M version of the iX4 is considered likely given the X4 M’s existence.

The Neue Klasse program also debuts BMW’s Panoramic Vision head-up display, a new Hypervisor software layer integrating vehicle functions with cloud services, and a redesigned iDrive interface built on Android Automotive OS while retaining BMW’s proprietary service layer. Over-the-air updates will cover battery management, thermal strategy, and chassis tuning — capabilities limited on current platforms.

BMW Group CEO Oliver Zipse has described Neue Klasse as the “heartbeat of the company” for the next decade. The automaker targets 50% fully electric sales globally by 2030, with the Neue Klasse family — eventually spanning compact through large segments — carrying the bulk of that volume. The iX4’s inclusion confirms that even lower-volume derivatives justify dedicated electric engineering within the new architecture.