BMW’s new iX3 looks like a hit, making up 1 in 3 EV orders in Europe

This is a car news story, not a home energy upgrade item, but here's what happened for anyone curious. BMW's new electric SUV, the iX3, has racked up more than 100,000 orders in Europe in its first year on sale, making up about one in three electric vehicle orders there since it launched last September. That's reportedly the strongest first-year showing for any new BMW model. The SUV is also drawing heavy early interest in China, where it went on sale last month starting around $40,000.

The iX3 is the first vehicle built on BMW's new "Neue Klasse" platform, with newer battery and charging technology that BMW says gives it 30% faster charging and 30% more driving range than its earlier electric models. It can charge from 10% to 80% in about 21 minutes using a fast charger. In Germany, it starts around €63,400 (about $73,000) for the base version with roughly 390 miles of range, while a longer-range version tops 500 miles. In the US, the 2027 BMW iX3 50 xDrive starts at $61,500 with an EPA-estimated range up to 434 miles.

For homeowners, this is mostly a signal that more capable, faster-charging electric vehicles are reaching the market, which could factor into decisions about home EV charging equipment down the road. BMW plans a second Neue Klasse model, the i3, later this month, with dozens more new or updated EVs planned through 2027.