BMW’s New Electric X3 Has Already Sold Out for 2026—Before America Even Gets It

A Strong Start for BMW’s New Era

The BMW iX3 isn’t just another EV carrying the iconic roundel. It’s the first model on BMW’s brand-spanking-new Neue Klasse platform, and it has been proven to be a hit in Europe. After its debut at the IAA Mobility Show in Munich last September, the iX3 has already outsold the gas-powered X3 in Germany.

That momentum appears to be unfazed despite the combustion engine’s recent win in the Old Continent. According to BMWBlog, BMW Italy President and CEO Massimiliano Di Silvestre recently said that European demand has effectively absorbed almost all planned production for 2026.

“Our order backlog has far exceeded our expectations,” Di Silvestre noted, adding that Europe alone makes up almost all of next year’s output.

Production Plans and Global Rollout

Right now, all iX3s come from BMW’s new Debrecen plant in Hungary, which can build up to 150,000 vehicles a year. It’s not certain if they’ll hit that number right away, but BMW isn’t stopping there. Production of a long-wheelbase version starts in Shenyang, China, in 2026, and standard-wheelbase models will follow from San Luis Potosí, Mexico, in 2027.

Europe gets the iX3 first, with deliveries starting next spring. The US, meanwhile, will get its iX3 a few months later in the summer. The first version to arrive is the iX3 50 xDrive, but BMW plans to add more affordable rear-wheel-drive and smaller-battery options later on.

Arriving in America Packing Serious Numbers

For American buyers, the iX3 50 xDrive should start at about $60,000 when it arrives, featuring BMW’s latest Panoramic iDrive system and fast-charging tech. With two motors, it puts out around 463 horsepower and 476 lb-ft of torque. Charging is quick, too: at a 400 kW DC charger, you can add 175-230 miles of range in just 10 minutes. Going from 10 to 80 percent takes about 21 minutes if you find a high-power charger.

At the heart of the iX3 is a 108.7-kWh usable battery pack built on BMW’s new 800-volt architecture, a jump in energy density enabled by cylindrical cells. This battery supports up to 400 miles of EPA-estimated range on a full charge – a conservative figure compared to BMW’s own test in Germany, where it traveled over 621 miles on a single charge.