BMW's Neue Klasse X: A Concept Electric SUV Reimagines Heritage

Introduction

Inspired from the Neue Klasse, new class, (pronunciation- Noia Klassa) from the late sixties, BMW showcased the new Neue Klasse X concept. While the previous Neue Klasse that saved BMW from bankruptcy and made it into a profitable company, this 21t century iteration will mark a new beginning for BMW into the electric future. Carrying the same significance of showcasing a new direction for the brand. The legendary straight-six may not survive, however this Neue Klasse X concept will not let you forget about BMW’s heritage which is the theme of this new generation iX3. Yes this will likely be the electric iteration of its X3 SAV, Sports Ability Vehicle (SUV really). BMW wants the sleekness and modernity of contemporary EVs without entirely losing a sense of familiarity of its gasoline cars, not to mention sustainability is the central theme here.

Exterior  

Although the Neue Klasse Concept X has the familiar kidney grill from other BMWs, but it does manage to look outlandish, maverick when standing next to the current lot of BMW SUVs. This is in part to the massive headlamps stretching from the center all the way to the side. The lights have two diagonal strips at either end of the headlights and what is more interesting is they have a depth effect that makes it nice to look at. The headlmaps may dominate the front, but the kidney grill is hard to miss.

A point to note about this grill (more an effect rather than a functional grill) is the fact that it is smaller compared to the iX and i7’s, plus is more vertical than horizontal seen on some current ICE BMW SUVs. Is it easy on the eye? Personally they could have done without it, however this is a pre-production car and it’s best to reserve a full opinion till it’s unveiled. Given sustainability is a big theme, the lower part of the front uses a lot of recycled materials as reported by Thomas from Autogefuhl. This is not the only area where they use recycled materials, but also on the inside and in the cells, more on that later. Although the BMW emblem maybe missing, it is etched on the body work just above the headlights which looks neat. As for front storage, there is no official word from BMW about a frunk, but fingers crossed for a sizeable one.

Looking at the car’s side profile, it’s easy to notice a long bonnet similar to gasoline BMWs which may not be a bad thing because the side profile is beautifully clean with minimal creases especially on the doors. The side is personally the highlight of this car because it’s clean, and there is more. The pillars of the car are thin compared to ICE BMWs on sale currently which promises to have a fairly airy cabin credited to larger glass areas and make the side profile look beautiful. The side profile does grow on me. As for the wheels, they are 22” on this concept with aero covers on them and the spoke design is sporty. Although the wheel size is sizeable and in proportion to the car, it may unlikely make it to the production version for efficiency and range; however fingers crossed for a wish. 

At the back, the taillights are as wide as the headlights, which look special. Again the BMW logo is etched on the bodywork between the headlights which is beautiful to look and admire the craftsmanship. There is a bigger than usual spoiler that helps enhance its sporty appeal like it should because it is a BMW. Lower down there is a silver finished skid plate, what if it was black to give it a more sporty, rugged appeal? Not a criticism but rather a thought. Although still a concept, it looks beautiful, and it might have some design elements from its ICE vehicles. It still manages to look outlandish and maverick amongst other BMW SUVs, it does have the same level of excitement associated with an EV.   

Interior

Stepping inside the cabin, you are greeted with an unconventional dual-tone orange-white interior, even the seats have a dual-tone color scheme. The use of orange makes the cabin feel youthful at the same time warm, surprisingly it does not seem bold. What further enhances the cabin is the use of microfiber on many of the surfaces on the door and the steering wheel, and the seats use fabric. It is interesting because fabric seats have their own charm despite desiring leather seats in more premium cars. The production version will come with fabric seats as well as an option for animal free leatherette seats. Sustainability being the main theme of this car, it will only come in animal free options for the seats. 

Like all modern EVs, it gets a central touchscreen unit which will control most of the functions in the car, just like in Teslas. Instead of four edges or sides, the screen has 6 sides, however it’s not hexagonal in shape. It looks like a parallelogram before you see the top left and bottom right edges of the screen. Unlike a Tesla, it has another display above the screen which spans the width of the front windscreen.

This display is customizable by being able to display multiple widgets from the central screen such as weather, trip details, range, state of charge, navigation details, time & date, and many more. Although the AC is operated from the central touchscreen using a sliding function, one can see the adjustments made on the display above the screen. Theoretically it brings your eyes closer to the, however this warrants a test while driving before giving a full opinion.

As for the steering wheel, it is a two-spoke design and finished in microfiber. Unlike a traditional two-spoke designs which have spokes at 3 and 9’olcock positions, this one has spokes at 12 and 6’oclock. I do agree with Thomas from Autogefuhl, one could easily be mistaken for the wheel being the other way around because of the spoke design. It is actually the slot for your thumb on the steering wheel and seeing the BMW logo right away up lets you one know the wheel is the right way up. As for the buttons on the wheel, they will be capacitive buttons which is the only let down. Although these buttons will have some feedback when pressed, however physical buttons are hard to replace and much easier to use on the move. There is always reassurance when you have pressed it.

Another aspect to appreciate is the feeling of airiness inside the cabin credited to thin pillars around the cabin along with the massive panoramic glass roof. It enhances the space inside the cabin due to the bigger glass area all around. Given it’s a concept, BMW placed two pillows on the rear seats which makes the cabin feel cozy and warm along with the refreshing fabric seats. 

Whether the dual-tone orange-white theme and the same fabric material on the seats will make it to the production car remains unclear, however it does promise to be a spacious and comfortable place to be in. As for the interior design, it will be built on this concept’s layout which promises to be exciting as one would expect of modern EVs.  

Battery Pack, Range, Charging, and Performance

The Neue Klasse will employ 75kWh, 90kWh, and 105kWh battery capacities across its range. BMW has not revealed specific drivetrain specifications for the entry-level versions yet, but the Neue Klasse X is designed to be configured with a quad-motor setup which will most likely be a red-eyed, M version. Furthermore BMW claims the charging speed and range will be thirty percent better compared to current BMW BEVs. This is credited to new a 800V architecture and the use of cylindrical cells which are 20% more energy dense compared to the current prismatic cells, giving it more range. As for charging performance, it can deliver 300km (186 miles) of range with 10 minutes of charging. Furthermore, this is a vehicle BMW will draw volumes from, and it makes sense for the manufacturer to move cylindrical cells as they are cheaper to manufacture compared to prismatic cells.

Launch Date  

BMW plans to put the Neue Klasse X into production by December 2025. It will go up against the likes of the Tesla Model Y Performance, Audi Q6 e-tron, Porsche Macan EV, and Rivian R2. Although still in its concept form, the production version is likely to look similar to the concept version which makes it one of the most exciting and anticipated launches in the near future. Being a Neue Klasse, it is expected to give BMW a new direction, but most importantly, BMW is doing exactly what was expected out of them after the i3 and the i8 10 years ago. As they say, better late than never.   

Image Sources 

Title Image: BMW Group 

^1,3,6,7BMW Group 

^2,4,5BMW Website

For any inquiries or suggestions regarding the content, please feel free to reach out to us at jash@evlane.net