BMW’s answer to the wave of cheap Chinese EVs is not a price war but a range war. The BMW iX4, revealed on October 7, 2026, takes the mechanicals of the iX3 and wraps them in a sloping, coupe-style SUV body. It is the third model on the Neue Klasse platform, after the iX3 and the i3, and it replaces the combustion X4 with an all-electric successor.
The iX4 50 xDrive arrives first, in March 2027, starting at $66,200 before destination and handling fees. The faster iX4 M60 xDrive follows later in 2027. BMW builds the car at its Debrecen plant in Hungary.
Battery and range
Like the other Neue Klasse models, the iX4 uses BMW’s sixth-generation “Gen6” pack, with 112.2kWh of usable energy. Its cylindrical lithium-ion cells measure 46mm in diameter and 95mm in height, and BMW says they offer a 20 percent increase in energy density over the prismatic cells in its Gen5 batteries. There are no modules: in BMW’s “pack-to-open-body” construction, the battery housing is the car’s underbody, which cuts weight and adds torsional rigidity.
The headline figure is up to 428 miles of range. BMW got that number from its own testing under EPA procedures, and it is still awaiting final EPA certification. It beats the Tesla Model Y, the world’s best-selling EV, and it helps that BMW claims a drag coefficient of 0.23.
Charging
- 800-volt architecture with up to 400kW DC fast charging
- Up to 184 miles of range added in 10 minutes
- 10–80 percent in 21 minutes
- NACS port, which gives access to more than 80,000 Tesla Supercharger connectors worldwide
- Bidirectional charging with vehicle-to-load and vehicle-to-home, plus Plug & Charge with 10 charging providers
Performance
Both versions have two motors. The 50 xDrive makes 463 horsepower and 475lb-ft of torque, enough for 0–60mph in 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 130 mph. The M60 xDrive produces 603hp and 645lb-ft, and BMW estimates 0–60mph in 3.7 seconds, a full second quicker. The main drive unit is an electrically excited synchronous motor on the rear axle. It uses electromagnets instead of permanent magnets and is managed by an inverter that keeps it in its most efficient operating window. BMW says the setup cuts drive-system energy losses by 40 percent and weight by 10 percent.
Cabin and driver assistance
Inside, BMW drops the traditional gauge cluster in favor of Panoramic iDrive, a head-up-style projection that runs across the full width of the lower windshield. It works alongside a free-cut 17.9-inch central touchscreen, and you can drag up to six widgets, such as media, weather or navigation, from the screen onto the windshield display. The “Symbiotic Drive” Level 2 system lets the driver steer or brake without switching off the assistance. Hands-free highway driving is available at up to 85 mph, but point-to-point assisted driving won’t come until 2027 at the earliest.
The Model Y still wins on price and offers Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised). BMW is betting that range, efficiency and a wider choice of models will matter more to buyers. The iX4 joins the iX3 and i3 in that lineup, and Neue Klasse versions of the 7 Series are also on the way.
