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A lower entry price is coming for BMW’s new, ground-up electric luxury SUV, but buyers will need to wait.
Electric Cars
The new BMW iX3 electric SUV line-up will double in Australia in 12 to 18 months’ time with an entry-level, rear-wheel-drive variant.
BMW’s competitor to the Audi Q6 is due in local showrooms in mid-2026 in dual-motor 50 xDrive trim, with a driving range rating of 805km, and a power output of 345kW.
Prices are expected to start from about $120,000 before on-road costs, given the smaller iX1 xDrive 30 tops out at $86,800, and the larger iX xDrive 45 opens from $142,900.
A more affordable model – expected to wear the iX3 40 badge – has been confirmed to follow.
“Your market introduction [for iX3 50 xDrive] will be in the middle of next year,” BMW head of product communications Alexandra Landers told Australian media at a preview drive of the new iX3 in Europe.
“Because of the shipping time, you will be one of the latest [markets to launch the car]. The entry version, or let's say, the rear-wheel-drive version will be end of next year for Europe, and [so] I think then early 2027 [for Australia].”
Technical details of the new base model are yet to be revealed, but a BMW insider with a strong track record for sharing internal information – BimmerPost forum user ynguldyn – claims a new iX3 40 derivative is due to enter production for Europe in July 2026.
It is planned to use a smaller battery pack than the 50 xDrive’s 108.5kWh usable-capacity unit, as well as a single, likely less-powerful rear electric motor instead of dual motors.
The price is also presumed to reduce accordingly, likely closer to the $110,000 mark, and rivals such as the Audi Q6 e-tron entry grade, which starts from $99,900 plus on-road costs.
BMW has found success in Australia with electric cars priced below the Luxury Car Tax, but the base-model iX3 is unlikely to slot below the marker unless the threshold increases steeply from its current $91,387 position.
Also in the pipeline, according to the BMW insider, is a high-performance M60 xDrive variant due to enter production in July 2026, while a flagship X3 M – now with electric power rather than a petrol six-cylinder – is due November 2027.
Electric Cars Guide
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
