The longest-range EV in Australia is a BMW. Here is the catch.

BMW has priced the new iX3 for Australia, and one number stands out. The iX3 50 xDrive claims 805km of range on the WLTP cycle. That is more than any other new car you can buy here today.

The numbers

The iX3 50 xDrive starts at $109,900 plus on-road costs and arrives in the middle of 2026. It runs a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup making 345kW and 645Nm, fed by a 108kWh battery. The headline is that 805km range figure. The other headline is charging. An 800V architecture allows DC charging up to 400kW, which BMW says adds 372km in ten minutes and takes the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 21 minutes.

The cheaper one

A second variant, the iX3 40, lands later. It is priced from $89,900 before on-road costs with deliveries due in the final quarter of 2026. That is the one most buyers will actually look at, and it brings the iX3 into direct contention with the Tesla Model Y, the Polestar 4 and the Kia EV6.

Cartell Assessment

Range anxiety is mostly solved once a car clears about 500km, so 805km is more bragging right than daily necessity. What matters more is the charging speed. Adding 372km in ten minutes changes how a long drive actually feels, far more than a big number on a spec sheet ever will. The catch is the price of entry. At $109,900 plus costs, the 50 xDrive is a lot of money for a mid-size SUV, however far it travels. The $89,900 iX3 40 is the one worth waiting for.

AU Outlook

The 50 xDrive comes first, the 40 follows in Q4. If you want the badge and the range, you pay early. If you want the value, you wait six months. For most Australian families doing school runs and the odd holiday drive, waiting is the smarter call.