BMW iX3 Long Wheelbase Neue Klasse Teased in China — Malaysia Included?

The China-only BMW iX3 Long Wheelbase Neue Klasse has been teased exclusively for China. Is Malaysia included?

BMW may have already unveiled its first Neue Klasse-based EV, the second-gen BMW iX3, last year, but this EV SUV is about to gain an extended wheelbase variant. Shown in a series of official teaser images, the upcoming BMW iX3 Long Wheelbase (or simply the iX3L) is set to make its debut at the upcoming Auto China 2026 motor show later in April this year.

Set to go against the Mercedes-Benz GLC L with EQ Technology, BMW described the new iX3L as a model exclusively developed “in China, for China, and with China.” Once it arrives in the Chinese market later in the second half of 2026, the new iX3L will become the first long-wheelbase model to underpin the marque’s Neue Klasse platform.

According to BMW, the iX3L’s wheelbase has been extended by 108 mm to a total of 3,005 mm, thus making it longer than both the iX and X5—two of BMW’s midsize SUVs. With this, the Bavarian automaker confidently said that the iX3L will deliver “significantly enhanced rear-seat comfort and overall spaciousness.”

Naturally, BMW has opted not to share any images or details regarding the innards of the new iX3L, but the automaker did take some measures to ensure that this EV SUV is catered towards local Chinese buyers. One of those measures is the development of a “Chinese derivative” of BMW’s Operating System X, which “incorporates approximately 70 percent locally developed software engineering.”

As we reported before, BMW has worked together with Huawei to introduce its own Harmony OS NEXT system on China’s Neue Klasse model, while its ADAS suite will be coming from China’s renowned autonomous driving technology company, Momenta. These will be tailored to local traffic conditions and usage scenarios in order to deliver “highly capable driver-assistance functions optimized for complex urban environments, highways, and long-distance travel in China.”

With this, local Chinese customers can expect to use familiar on-board services such as local navigation apps like Amap, as well as an intelligent personal assistant that uses large language models from Alibaba and DeepSeek.

As for the powertrain itself, we’ve been told that the iX3L will feature the same 800-volt architecture as the standard iX3 Neue Klasse, which includes both the cylindrical battery cells and the sixth-gen BMW eDrive technologies. While no detailed figures were given, BMW did say that the iX3L could support up to 400 kW of DC fast charging, as well as up to 900 km of CLTC range.

For reference, the Euro-spec iX3 will arrive in a single 50 xDrive guise, which features a sizable 108.7 kWh battery pack that is good for up to 805 km of WLTP range, while being powered by a dual-motor AWD setup that delivers a combined output of 463 hp and 645 Nm. This enables the midsize EV SUV to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds before hitting the limiter at 210 km/h.

As mentioned earlier, the upcoming BMW iX3 Long Wheelbase is slated to make its global debut at the Auto China 2026 motor show, ahead of its official Chinese market launch later in the second half of the year. While China is the main focus for this EV SUV, the iX3L will also be available in other overseas markets, with Malaysia being shortlisted alongside Indonesia, Thailand, and India.