ELECTRIC BMW ix3 goes in to production, but still won't reach the UK until summer 2021

Electric BMW ix3 goes in to production

The BMW iX3 – BMW’s electric take on the X3 – starts production in China but won’t reach UK customers until summer 2021.

Unlike many other car makers, BMW has decided that the way to get punters in to electric cars is to make the electric bit a powertrain option – alongside ICCE, Hybrid and PHEV – in the belief that familiarity will be a bigger factor than novelty.

That’s why the new BMW iX3, the BEV X3, is being built on the same production line as the ICE X3s in Shenyang, China. And production is now underway.

But despite production of the iX3 already starting, the UK is going to have to wait until summer 2021 for delivery, but if you do want to jump in to an iX3 you can order in the UK, despite the wait, but you’ll need quite deep pockets.

The only models available to order are the iX3 Premier Edition which costs a thumping £62k, with the iX3 Premier Edition coming in at £65k. Which is a lot of money for an X3, around 50 per cent up on the more powerful, and 4WD, X3 xDrive30d SE. And it could be 10 per cent more by the time the iX3 heads for the UK if we end up on WTO rules.

Still, the BMW X3 is a good car, and we’re sure the iX3 will be as good with its electric powertrain and a range of around 280 miles.

But the price really is a sticking point.