BMW has been promising to expand its electric car lineup for quite a few years now, but the Germans are still offering just one model, the i3. But things will change in 2018 when BMW introduces the iX3, its first all-electric SUV. Based on the X3, the EV was unveiled as a concept car at the 2018 Beijing Auto Show and will go into production under the BMW Brilliance Automotive joint venture in Shenyang, China.

The concept car's X3 roots are more than obvious on the outside. Most of the body panels and details were carried over unchanged, with small changes made to the front and rear. The front fascia now sports a closed-off kidney grille, while the bumper features a wide cooling vent in the middle and thin, vertical outlets on the sides. The wheels were optimized for better aerodynamics, while the rear bumper includes a new diffuser-like element. The blue accents around the grille, logos, side skirts, and diffuser signal that this crossover isn't powered by gasoline or diesel engines.

Obviously, the big news lies under the shell, where the concept employs BMW's fifth-generation eDrive technology. The new system groups the electric motor, transmission, and power electronics within a new, separate component and features new, more powerful batteries. The iX3 also has a flexible platform with scalable components that will enable BMW to used it in a large number of different models in the future. The same underpinnings and drivetrain will also be the basis of the BMW iNext, due to be introduced in 2021.

BMW didn't have much to say about performance specs, but it did mention that the concept model comes with "more than" 270 horsepower. Not overly powerful, but good enough for a daily driver. As far as range goes, the German carmaker promises more than 400 km on the Worldwide Harmonised Vehicle cycle (WLTP), which converts to 249 miles. Stay tuned for a full review of the concept and more data about the upcoming production model.

References

Read our full review on the 2018 BMW X3.

Read more BMW news.

Read more 2018 Beijing Auto Show news.