BEIJING -- BMW previewed the expansion of full-electric cars into its core product lineup with the iX3 concept at the auto show here.
The Concept iX3 heralds the first mainstream model from the BMW brand to be driven purely by electric power, the automaker said. BMW plans to begin producing the iX3 in 2020 at its joint-venture plant in Shenyang and will sell the model abroad, according to partner Brilliance China Automotive Holdings.
The production model will be the first BMW to use a flexible architecture that will underpin combustion engine, plug-in hybrid and battery-powered cars.
The concept is powered by a 200 kW/270 hp electric motor. It has a more powerful battery that offers better performance and range combined with lower weight and volume. The concept has a range of more than 400 km (249 miles) under the Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), BMW said. A new charging control unit allows the battery to be recharged in 30 minutes when hooked up to a station with 150 kW output.