Latest news with #BMWiX3
TimesLIVE
a day ago
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
New Volvo SA boss Locke says brand is here to stay with electrified future
Last year there were 1,257 EVs sold in SA, only 0.24% of the market, as consumers continue to be turned off by their high prices, long charging times and a limited charging network. However, Volvo has done relatively well with its new EX30 electric crossover that was launched in SA in February 2024. It was the brand's best-selling model last year and the country's most popular EV, at 406 units, nearly double that of its closest competitor, the BMW iX3's 221 sales. Volvo SA sold 1,299 new cars in 2023 when its range was primarily made up of ICE models, led by the XC40 mild hybrid that sold 675 units with an average of 108 a month. In 2024 the brand grew to 1,431 sales, averaging 119 units a month, with the EX30 its most popular model ahead of the XC40. However, in 2025 Volvo's local sales have dipped to an average of 75 units a month, and the company has had a challenging time globally with an operating loss and sales falling 9% in the first six months. Håkan Samuelsson, president and CEO of Volvo Cars, said demand remained under pressure from the macroeconomic environment, tariff-related uncertainties and tougher competition. Locally, Locke said the brand has a way to go to recover sales numbers. To incentivise customer adoption of its BEVs, Volvo offers new owners two years of free public charging, a GridCars home wall box and 10GB of Vodacom data per month for three years. The wall box enables faster charging compared to a standard plug, and the 24-month ownership package provides owners with a R12,000 charging voucher linked to a GridCars charge card. Locke intends to further bolster Volvo's local presence with the launch of new models. After the introduction of the EX90 in March and last week's launch of the EX30 Cross Country, other new Volvos on the horizon are the ES90 luxury electric sedan, arriving in the first quarter of 2026, and the electric EX60 midsize SUV in 2026 or 2027. The new EX30 Cross Country, as the name suggests, is an adventure-focused vehicle with a higher ground clearance than the EX30 and a more off-road design. Locke believes owning such a vehicle is becoming more feasible as the DC fast-charging network grows in SA. He said Volvo was committed to its electrification strategy, with hybrids as the holding vehicles until the brand completes its move to EVs. Volvo had planned to have a fully electric range globally by 2030, but due to the slowdown in global EV growth it has revised this to having 90% of its range electrified (either full electrics or plug-in hybrids) by that date, with the other 10% made up of mild hybrids.
Canberra Times
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Canberra Times
Mercedes-Benz says 2035 ICE ban could ‘collapse' European auto industry
Mercedes-Benz will launch a new mid-size electric SUV – the GLC with EQ Technology, which replaces the old EQC – at next month's IAA Mobility Show in the hometown of arch-rival BMW, which will reveal the rival BMW iX3 that will be the first of its 'Neue Klasse' generation of EVs.
7NEWS
12-08-2025
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
BMW and Mercedes-Benz set duelling electric SUV reveals
The BMW iX3 SUV – the first of the German brand's 'Neue Klasse' electric vehicles (EVs) – will be revealed in full at the Munich motor show commencing on September 8, 2025, just a day after arch-rival Mercedes- Benz pulls the covers of its all-new electric GLC with EQ Technology. BMW has called the iX3 'one of the most significant new vehicles it its history' as it will be the first of the Neue Klasse models which the automaker has spent billions in developing. The Neue Klasse term is used to describe a new 800V dedicated electric vehicle architecture set to underpin a raft of new models. BMW also says that 'technology clusters' debuting with this new architecture will be used by 40 new or updated BMW Group (including Mini and Rolls-Royce) vehicles to be launched by 2027. Expected in Australian showrooms in 2026, the first iX3 prototype was revealed in November 2024 with limited information released so far. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. BMW has said the iX3 (above) will include 400kW rapid charging and a WLTP driving range of up to 800km – almost double the current model's 460km. The fast-charging capability means 350km of range can be added in as little as 10 minutes. There won't be a front-drive version, with the platform engineered for rear- and all-wheel drive layouts. A prototype dual-motor version has been shown with claimed outputs of 300kW/600Nm, a healthy gain over the existing model's 210kW/400Nm from a single electric motor. Above: Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology The Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology, a direct competitor of the iX3 and a replacement for the defunct EQC, will use the ' dedicated EV architecture, and will also be offered in rear- and all-wheel drive configurations, with outputs of up to 500kW. It'll also feature an 800V electrical architecture, and be offered with batteries ranging from a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) unit that's likely to deliver a WLTP-rated range of just over 500km, to a 94.5kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery that boosts WLTP range to more than 800km. In the first half of 2025, BMW was Australia's fifth best-selling EV brand with 3090 deliveries – well ahead of seventh-place Mercedes-Benz with 1581 deliveries. The BMW iX1 was its top-selling EV and Australia's 11th most popular EV overall, ahead of the i4 electric liftback. The IAA Mobility Summit – aka the Munich motor show – will open to the public from September 9 to September 12, 2025.
Perth Now
12-08-2025
- Automotive
- Perth Now
BMW and Mercedes-Benz set duelling electric SUV reveals
The BMW iX3 SUV – the first of the German brand's 'Neue Klasse' electric vehicles (EVs) – will be revealed in full at the Munich motor show commencing on September 8, 2025, just a day after arch-rival Mercedes-Benz pulls the covers of its all-new electric GLC with EQ Technology. BMW has called the iX3 'one of the most significant new vehicles it its history' as it will be the first of the Neue Klasse models which the automaker has spent billions in developing. The Neue Klasse term is used to describe a new 800V dedicated electric vehicle architecture set to underpin a raft of new models. BMW also says that 'technology clusters' debuting with this new architecture will be used by 40 new or updated BMW Group (including Mini and Rolls-Royce) vehicles to be launched by 2027. Expected in Australian showrooms in 2026, the first iX3 prototype was revealed in November 2024 with limited information released so far. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Supplied Credit: CarExpert BMW has said the iX3 (above) will include 400kW rapid charging and a WLTP driving range of up to 800km – almost double the current model's 460km. The fast-charging capability means 350km of range can be added in as little as 10 minutes. There won't be a front-drive version, with the platform engineered for rear- and all-wheel drive layouts. A prototype dual-motor version has been shown with claimed outputs of 300kW/600Nm, a healthy gain over the existing model's 210kW/400Nm from a single electric motor. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Supplied Credit: CarExpert Above: Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology The Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology, a direct competitor of the iX3 and a replacement for the defunct EQC, will use the ' dedicated EV architecture, and will also be offered in rear- and all-wheel drive configurations, with outputs of up to 500kW. It'll also feature an 800V electrical architecture, and be offered with batteries ranging from a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) unit that's likely to deliver a WLTP-rated range of just over 500km, to a 94.5kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery that boosts WLTP range to more than 800km. In the first half of 2025, BMW was Australia's fifth best-selling EV brand with 3090 deliveries – well ahead of seventh-place Mercedes-Benz with 1581 deliveries. The BMW iX1 was its top-selling EV and Australia's 11th most popular EV overall, ahead of the i4 electric liftback. The IAA Mobility Summit – aka the Munich motor show – will open to the public from September 9 to September 12, 2025. MORE: 2026 BMW iX3: Next-gen luxury EV to offer 800km of range MORE: Mercedes-Benz GLC EV: New mid-size SUV gets modern twist on brand's classic face MORE: 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology: Prototype drive
Yahoo
11-08-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
September is going to be a huge month for new cars: here's what to expect
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. QUICK SUMMARY A lot of exciting new cars are just around the corner, with a whole bunch of new EV reveals scheduled for this year's Munich motor show. Highlights include new cars from Audi, BMW, Polestar, Mercedes, Hyundai, Porsche and more. A whole bunch of exciting new cars from Europe's biggest brands are about to arrive – and they're all hungry to dethrone Tesla, restore faith in the continent's car industry, and fight back against a Chinese EV onslaught. September will see major new cars and concepts from Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Mercedes, Polestar, Porsche and Volkswagen, plus important debuts from Chinese startups like Leapmotor and Denza. Many of these cars will get their global debut at 2025 IAA Mobility, better known as this year's Munich motor show, which opens its doors on 8 September. There will be a string showing of cars from German brands, of course, but the scale of the show will mean major news from across the industry – and for drivers, it'll mean a lot of shiny new metal entering dealerships across the year ahead. Here's a rundown of the most important new cars to look out for in the next few weeks. We'll update this list as more news comes to light: Audi Could we see a revival of the TT later this year? That's what the rumour mill is suggesting, with Audi expected to reveal a new concept car in September. There's no confirmation that it'll signal a new generation of the recently-deceased TT sports car, but for now it looks like the concept is more likely to be an electric sports car than an SUV. For that alone, Audi deserves some applause. BMW This could well be the star of the Munich show, and potentially one of the most important news cars of the entire year. It's the BMW iX3, and instead of being merely the next generation of the company's mid-size electric SUV, this is the first car from BMW's Neue Klasse – a whole new family of EVs that will seek to redefine the carmaker's design language for a generation to come. Expected to share its overall design with the Vision Neue Klasse X concept, the new iX3 is expected to benefit from an 800-volt system architecture, fast charging, a long range and a whole host of new tech to get excited about. Hyundai Hyundai produces some excellent electric cars – including the wonderfully mad Ioniq 5 N – but none are what you'd consider small. That's about to change though, with the September reveal of the all-new Ioniq 2. Related to the Kia EV2 – which is expected to land in 2026 – the Hyundai will likely share much of its platform with the slightly larger Kia EV3. That means the same (and rather good) E-GMP electric architecture, but at a price point of around £25,000, making it a fair bit cheaper than other members of the Ioniq family. Given how Hyundai likes to describe its cars as a set of chess pieces, each placing a very different body design on shared foundations, you can expect the Ioniq 2 to look quite different to the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6. Leapmotor Another affordable EV expected to make its debut in September comes from Leapmotor, a Chinese upstart with a reputation for undercutting its rivals with small, affordable and back-to-basics electric cars. Backed by the Stellantis car group, Leapmotor's next car is expected to be a VW Golf-sized family hatchback called the B05. It'll be based on the new B10 SUV and could fall just below the £30,000 barrier, while still offering in the region of 350 to 400 miles of range. Mercedes We already know Mercedes will reveal its new electric GLC in September – because the IAA show's own website says so – and it'll sit alongside members of the new CLA family. These include a new electric CLA shooting brake (or estate, if you prefer), and a hybrid too. The stand will also show off a camouflaged prototype of the new electric VLE minivan, due on sale in 2026. Mercedes will also be showing off its AMG GT XX concept car, which it revealed in June. This is said to be a preview of the first production model based on its new High-Performance AMG Electric Architecture. In other words, a first glimpse at what an electric future for AMG looks like. It won't be all about EVs, though, as Mercedes is also expected to announce a second concept, called the AMG GT Track Sport. This is described as 'a preview of a possible expansion of the GT series with a V8 engine,' and suggests Mercedes still has an eye on internal combustion for future cars. Polestar Polestar's super-simple naming convention means that, after the 3 and 4 arrived last year, it's almost time for the 5. This will be revealed at the Munich motor show in September, and is a high-powered electric saloon car that's expected to take on the Porsche Taycan and Lotus Emeya. This is the first Polestar to use the car's own platform, and it's also the first to use an 800-volt electric architecture. Double the voltage of all previous Polestars, this will unlock faster charging and close to 900 horsepower of total output in its most aggressive configuration. The Polestar 5 has been a long time coming, tracing its routes back to the company's Precept concept car back in 2020, then first appearing as a production-ready prototype in 2023. I hope the finished car will have been worth the wait. Porsche Following on from the new electric Macan, Porsche will use the Munich show to reveal an all-new electric Cayenne. The SUV has been seen in public a few times recently, including at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, but wearing extensive camouflage. Little is known for now, despite the high-profile outings, but Porsche fans can expect an 800-volt system architecture, rapid charging and equally potent performance from the flagship model. Volkswagen A small Volkswagen will be big news next month, as the company reveals more of its plans to turn the adorable ID.2All concept into reality. A VW Polo-sized electric car, the ID.2 (or whatever Volkswagen decides to call it) will sit below the ID.3, and is expected to be priced from just over £20,000, making it a close rival to the Renault 5 E-Tech.
