The $61,000 BMW iX3 Proves You Have No More Excuses To Hate EVs

Price Isn't An Issue

We've heard every argument on Earth against electric vehicles: they don't go far enough, they take too long to charge, and they cost too much. If you're shopping for a luxury vehicle in 2026, the upcoming 2027 BMW iX3 is about to put all of those excuses to bed. BMW just announced US pricing for the upcoming iX3, which will arrive at dealers on September 25. The dual-motor 50 xDrive model starts at $61,500 (plus a $1,350 destination and handling fee), which is less than a six-cylinder X3 M50 xDrive at $66,500.

That's not a typo, the 463 horsepower iX3 costs $5,000 less than the most powerful ICE X3 with only 393 hp. Keep in mind, a less expensive version of the iX3 with a single-motor setup will likely arrive in 2027. EVs haven't just reached price parity with their ICE counterparts, BMW is actually selling the iX3 for less than the comparable X3.

What Range Anxiety?

Range anxiety is the second argument that's typically brought up with EVs, but the iX3 may finally put this talking point where it belongs: the past. The official EPA-rated range for the iX3 is even better than BMW anticipated; the car will travel up to 434 miles with the no-cost 20-inch wheels and summer tires, and the lowest it can go is still an impressive 383 miles.

By comparison, a gas X3 M50 with a 17.2-gallon tank can travel up to 516 miles based on its 30 MPG highway fuel economy. That's only 82 miles more than the iX3, and considering it would take over six hours to drive 434 miles at a 70 mph average speed, we imagine most people would stop at least once before driving that far anyway. At the X3's 27 MPG combined average, the tank would only last 464 miles, barely 30 miles more than the iX3.

Quick Stops

When the iX3's battery inevitably does get emptied on a long trip, or your bladder is full, those pit stops won't take long thanks to the car's impressive 800-volt architecture. Assuming you can plug-in at a 400 kW charger, the iX3 can add 185 miles of range back in just 10 minutes. You may not even have time to buy a sandwich in that time. In 21 minutes, it will go from 10-80% charge, meaning you will have around 347 miles of range (assuming you have the best wheel/tire combo).

Admittedly, 400 kW chargers are rare in the US, so it may take longer to charge the iX3's sizable 112.2 kWh battery depending on where you plug in. This is an infrastructure issue though, not an issue with the car.

The Excuses Are Gone

Let's say you say you still aren't convinced; the prospect of an electric X3 that's less expensive, more powerful, and goes further than most people need on a daily basis still doesn't appeal to you on the off chance you might want to drive 500 miles in one day. Fine. Why not use the $5,000 savings from the iX3 to rent a gas-powered X3?

We checked the prices on Sixt to rent a BMW X3, and found rates for around $105 per day. That means you would have enough money saved up from choosing the iX3 50 over the X3 M50 to rent a gas-powered X3 for approximately 47 days, if you planned to take a road trip and wanted an equivalent vehicle. We aren't even factoring your fuel savings, which would give you even more to spend should you need to rent a car for your hypothetical road trip.

There are some other associated costs to owning an EV, like installing a charger, but they will more than balance out when you no longer pay for oil changes and other maintenance items. The iX3 is priced so well, there are no excuses not to choose it over a gas-powered X3.

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