Fully electric BMW iX3 making Philippine launch on Jan. 23

The all-new BMW iX3 has been confirmed for launch in the Philippines on Jan. 23, 2023. 

In 2022, local BMW distributor SMC Asia Car Distributor Inc. announced that it would debut four electric vehicles in the market for this year. The iX3 crossover is the first one confirmed for the Philippines.

It will join the BMW iX crossover in the brand's expanding electric vehicle lineup. 

Although official specifications have yet to be released, we can look to other markets to see what we might get locally. 

Electrifying exterior

The Singaporean model already comes as the facelifted model and even has an M Sports package as standard.

This gives the vehicle 20-inch M aerodynamic wheels, a special body kit, M leather steering wheel, M high-gloss shadow line, M roof rails, and illuminated door sills.

For the Philippine model, we can expect it to have either 19-inch or 20-inch wheels, which are still up to the discretion of BMW Philippines. 

Accessibility, connectivity, convenience

As for its possible technology features, we can assume that the local version of the BMW iX3 will come with the brand’s iDrive 7 infotainment system, which comes with the Live Cockpit Professional fully-digital gauges, and a Harman Kardon sound system. 

Other features for the BMW iX3 electric vehicle could include a connected charging service where you can see the nearest charging stations to you, a digital key that uses your phone to unlock your car, and the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. 

In terms of safety, the local model could also come with the brand’s Driving Assistant Professional suite. 

This grants the driver access to steering and lane control assist, emergency stop assist, lane keeping assist, and active side collision protection.

The iX3 could also come with an automatic parking feature and Active Navigation that suggests what lane to be in, just to name a few.

Punchy drivetrain

The BMW iX3 utilizes the brand’s fifth-generation eDrive powertrain from the single-motor BMW iX model. 

However, unlike its bigger iX brother, which has its dedicated platform, the iX3 uses the same chassis as the regular BMW X3. 

The BMW iX3 is only available in a single-motor, rear-wheel drive configuration with power figures of 286 PS and 400 Nm of torque. With great power on tap, it can rocket from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds. 

The electrified SUV also carries an 80 kWh battery pack, which is good enough for about 460 km of range when fully charged. Aside from this, it also supports 150 kW DC fast charging, which can recharge the vehicle from 10 percent to 80 percent in about 30 minutes.

Depending on the pricing, this could be a game changer for BMW Philippines as electric vehicles are slowly becoming popular. 

Will this BMW iX3 be worth it or will you go for something else?