An international jury of 98 motoring journalists has crowned the new BMW iX3 SUV the World Car of the Year and World Electric Vehicle 2026 at this year’s New York International Auto Show.
On sale in the UK as of March this year, the new iX3 saw off 57 contenders for the World Car of the Year title. It beat 43 others for the World Electric Vehicle accolade.
This represents BMW’s 10th and 11th respective class wins.
The new BMW iX3 is the first of the Munich carmaker’s new Neue Klasse EVs. When it debuted in September 2025, the iX3 became the first EV in the UK capable of managing over 500 miles on a single charge.
The impressive numbers didn’t stop with the range. The iX3 rides on 800V architecture, which allows charging speeds of up to 400V. This means that 231 miles of charge can be added in just 10 minutes at a compatible charger. A 10%-80% top-up is doable in 21 minutes.
Heart of Joy Technology
Upon arrival, the iX3 also introduced BMW’s ‘Heart of Joy’ central control unit (CCU). Fitted solely to Neue Klasse cars, the Heart of Joy CCU combines drivetrain, braking, and stability functions into a single system. This provides a more traditional BMW driving experience – despite the additional weight usually associated with EVs.
On the back of the iX3’s latest accolades, BMW’s Neue Klasse chief, Mike Reichelt, commented:
“We are happy with this fantastic accolade for the BMW iX3, the first representative of our Neue Klasse.”
“The BMW iX3 marks the beginning of a new era at BMW in terms of design language, range, charging capacity, as well as driver assistance, and BMW Panoramic iDrive. Above all, the BMW iX3 represents the next generation powered by the Heart of Joy. The innovations from the Neue Klasse will benefit our entire product portfolio.”
BMW’s awards weren’t just restricted to the iX3, either.
Its CEO, Oliver Zipse, was named World Car Person of the Year for his introduction and leadership of the brand’s Neue Klasse line of EVs.
“Under his leadership, BMW has pursued a technology-open approach to electrification, digitalisation and sustainability, while maintaining a strong focus on brand identity and profitability,” noted the jury. “Zipse’s steady, engineering-led leadership has helped shape BMW’s direction in a rapidly evolving global automotive landscape.”
BMW i3 Announcement
The recently announced BMW i3 is the second model in the Neue Klasse line-up. Running on the same 800V Gen6 platform as its SUV sibling, the i3 is an all-electric 3 Series promising a 559-mile range – the longest of any EV on sale in Europe today.
The New York Auto Show started on Wednesday, April 1, and will end on Thursday, April 16.
