The BMW Neue Klasse iX3 unveiled in Munich early in September, a few days before the IAA Mobility Show. BMW also held a keynote at IAA where the cars where on display for show attendees.
Select media from the iX3 unveiling were invited to visit BMW’s new EV plant in Debrecen, Hungary where the new iX3 will be built. It was the first time visitors were invited to the new plant.
Recharged was in attendance for the iX3 unveiling and the EV plant visit. Here’s a summary of what the BMW programme entailed. My other coverage will be in Brainstorm magazine and Forbes Africa. I also posted a TikTok.
BMW Neue Klasse iX3
The unveiling of the Neue Klasse iX3 was more than just a new reveal for the German automaker. Neue Klasse was built from a blank slate with technology being the core focus. Components of Neue Klasse will come to 40 models by 2027. There was also a sneak peek look at the new i3 sedan.
The iX3 is a software-defined vehicle powered by a “Superbrain” computer with 20 times more processing speed than previous BMW vehicles. New features will be made available with software updates, including AI ones, down the line.
Four superbrain AI computers from the new electronics and software architecture controls the whole vehicle. Each one oversees something different: for the driving experience (Heart of Joy); infotainment system; autonomous driving; and comfort features.
The Gen6 lithium-ion batteries have also been redesigned, it’s no longer prismatic like the fifth-gen ones but now has a cylindrical shape. It has a cell-to-pack design with an increased energy density by 20% due to the space and weight saved from the cylindrical cells.
Its 108.7kWh battery covers up to 805km of range (WLTP figures). The high-voltage batteries are now on an 800V system that allows for 400kW fast charging speeds. This means a ten-minute charge will give you 372km of range, says BMW.
The 800V architecture is flexible, so it will work on lower voltage chargers, like in South Africa, but not at those speeds (SA’s fastest charger is 250kW by Zero Carbon Charge). It also offers bidirectional charging now, so your iX3 is a giant powerbank to your home.
The iX3 is powered by two electric motors, an EESM (Extremely Excited Synchronous Motor) and an ASM (Asynchronous Motor) that delivers 345kW of power and 645Nm of torque.
Another interesting highlight on the iX3 and one I’m most excited to get my hands on is the Panoramic iDrive, powered by Operating System X.
It’s made up of four elements: Panoramic Vision, the strip across the width of the windshield; the Central Display infotainment system, a Shy Tech steering wheel and a 3D heads-up display.
That cool new strip at the bottom of the windshield, also visible to passengers, is completely customisable with whatever widgets you want to see like temperature, range, speed, direction, odometer, music, etc.
There’s also a new BMW app experience with stats and ratings on your efficiency and finding public charging stations.
BMW is also focusing on sustainability with the iX3 and will use secondary materials, renewable energy and other ways in its supply chain to reduce CO₂ emissions by 35 percent. The car itself is made from one third secondary raw materials.
Mini x Deus Ex Machina
At the Mini night in Munich, we got to see the one-off collaboration between Mini John Cooper Works x Deus Ex Machina in the metal.
The concept cars are based on two JCW models, the first an electric with up to 190kW and the second petrol 170kW version, characterised by a large X on the roof for the collab.
Holger Hampf, Head of Mini Design says the two vehicles that remind us of the motorsport history and successes of Mini. “Every single detail has been crafted with artisanal precision and expertise. This has resulted in unique characters that are clearly perceived as belonging together through their distinctive design language and use of graphics.”
Mini says it was a built as a pair with opposites in energy: one from the coast, shaped by surfboards, sea spray and the stripped-back rhythm of beach life, and the other is forged on the track: lean, fast, and fuelled by a love of speed and precision.
BMW Recycling and Dismantling Centre
BMW took all media who attended the iX3 unveiling to its Recycling and Dismantling centre in Munich. Some of the data shared included BMW having 35 million touchpoint points yearly and that it ships more than 2.5 million parts worldwide to its global network.
The Munich centre can recycle 10 000 cars a year and by September 2025, it has reached 6 000. The centre focuses on the entire life cycle of the vehicles.
Part of the high voltage battery recycling process involves recovering nickel, lithium, and cobalt, in case you wondered what happens to old EV batteries.
The centre has recycled over 120 000 vehicles and a 1 million tons of iron in the last 30 years.
BMW EV Plant in Debrecen, Hungary
The Neue Klasse iX3 will be built at BMW’s new state-of-the-art EV plant in Debrecen, Hungary, which is the second largest city after Budapest. The plant is the most technologically advanced plant I’ve been to.
BMW also has a strategic partnership with the University of Debrecen that covers education, professional training and R&D in about five faculties. This has resulted several thousands more of students signing up at the university due to the prospects and a great stepping stone to working at the plant.
The partnership between BMW and the Uni includes a vocational training program that takes 300 students for a three year program to teach them about the tools and solutions from the factory, including robotics, 3D Plant Debrecen printing, virtual and augmented reality solutions.
Dr Milan Nedeljković, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production, and chairman of the BMW SA board says the start of series production for the BMW iX3 signals a new era of automotive manufacturing.
“Our new plant in Debrecen has been designed and built fully in line with our strategic vision of the iFactory. Digital from the very beginning, the plant will offer a new dimension in efficient production without fossil fuels.” ~ Dr Milan Nedeljković.
Here are fast facts about BMW’s new iFactory EV plant in Debrecen, Hungary:
1. A factory with zero fossil fuels
BMW’s Debrecen site is the company’s first car plant to run entirely on renewable electricity during normal operation. No oil, no gas, no fallback to fossil fuels, just clean energy powering every stage of production. It’s a big step toward decarbonising one of the most energy-intensive industries on the planet.
2. Slashing carbon like never before
Producing a BMW iX3 in Debrecen creates just 34kgs of CO₂ emissions at the plant, a staggering 90% reduction compared to other BMW facilities. Factor in the wider supply chain, and the total footprint per car is about 80kgs, two-thirds less than current models.
3. Solar power on a mega scale
The factory’s green credentials are boosted by a 50-hectare solar park that supplies around a quarter of its total power. Excess energy is stored in a thermal storage system, which holds 1 800 m³ of water; a capacity of 130MWh.
4. The robot ballet
The body shop has roughly 1 000 industrial robots working in perfect harmony. These machines transform 450 steel and aluminium sheets into car bodies, running on cutting-edge servo-electric welding guns that are more energy efficient than anything used before in Europe.
5. Press shop power
At the very start of the process, the press shop can produce up to 10 000 parts a day, with a closed-loop recycling system that recovers and reuses up to 60 tonnes of scrap steel and aluminium daily. It’s a model of efficiency, cutting waste while cranking out precision parts.
6. Batteries made on-site
The iFactory is also building the heart of the EV. The plant is the first in BMW’s global network to mass-produce the new Gen6 high-voltage batteries, which deliver 20% more energy density and cut charging times by 30%.
7. Smarter, lighter wiring
The iX3 benefits from a new zonal wiring system that uses 600m less cabling and is 30% lighter than previous generations. That means easier assembly, more efficient energy flow, and a leaner electrical backbone for future models.
8. Logistics with precision
Debrecen’s logistics are designed for speed and efficiency. Thanks to its “finger structure,” 80% of parts are delivered directly to their assembly point. All in-house transport is electric, with fleets of autonomous tugger trains and smart robots moving batteries and components where they’re needed.
9. AI at the assembly line
BMW’s in-house AI platform, AIQX, is embedded in the plant to catch defects in real time. Sensors and cameras monitor every step, providing instant feedback to workers. In the future, cars themselves will analyse their own build and interact with staff during production, which turns the vehicles into active participants in the factory floor, connected to its industrial IoT platform.
10. A global knowledge hub
The 2 000-strong workforce at Debrecen is a melting pot of expertise, with staff trained at BMW plants in China, South Africa, Mexico, the US and Germany. It serves as a network hub, pooling best practices from across the globe.
*BMW South Africa hosted Recharged in Germany and Hungary
Recharged is an independent site that focuses on technology, electric vehicles, and the digital life by Nafisa Akabor. Drawing from her 18-year tech journalism career, expect news, reviews, how-tos, comparisons, and practical uses of tech that are easy to digest. info@recharged.co.za
