Last month, BMW introduced the Neue Klasse Vision vehicle to us — a preview of what to expect tech-wise from the German brand’s upcoming range of new-generation EVs. One of the headlining features of the Vision vehicle’s tech was the “Heart of Joy” superbrain that controlled how its future EVs drive and feel.

Fast forward to now, and BMW has unveiled three additional control units for the upcoming iX3, which was confirmed today for a September debut. These will all be part of a whole new “digital nervous system” set to power every Neue Klasse model. Along with the Heart of Joy, one superbrain will be dedicated to autonomous driving, another will manage BMW’s Panoramic iDrive (aka, infotainment), and a third will manage the remaining ancillary functions, such as lighting and climate control.

See: 2026 BMW iX3 Neue Klasse Renders Patents Into Reality

To make this happen, BMW has crammed an insanely powerful central computing system into their next-gen cars, claiming it’s 20 times more powerful than what’s in their current lineup. They’ve also put considerable thought into the wiring that connects these digital masterminds.

Enter their “zonal wiring harness architecture”, essentially a fancy way of saying they’ve simplified the car’s internal wiring by dividing it into four zones: front, center, rear, and roof. The result? A reduction of 600 meters of wiring and a 30% savings in weight. Less bulk, more efficiency.

Smarter Power Management

In addition to beefed-up computing, BMW is also replacing 150 traditional fuses with something called digital ‘smart e-fuses.’ These aren’t just fancy circuit breakers; they actively manage power distribution to improve energy use by 20%. In other words, your BMW will be smarter about when and where it uses power — whether it’s driving, parked, or charging. Welcome to the world of intelligent energy management.

On top of that, BMW is going all-in on over-the-air software updates. With more than 1,000 software modules, 20GB of software, and a staggering 500 million lines of code, future BMWs will essentially be software-defined vehicles. That means no more waiting for the dealership to install the latest updates; your car will simply upgrade itself.

Looking ahead, BMW’s long-term strategy is to keep developing in-house where it matters — like driving dynamics and infotainment — but partner with top-tier software companies for less brand-defining tech. They’ve also built an in-house software development powerhouse with over 10,000 engineers, ensuring they stay ahead of the game.

BMW Group’s annual conference for 2025 brought some interesting updates about the company’s future lineup. The most notable announcement is that BMW officially confirmed the name of its first ever Neue Klasse SUV as the iX3 and that it will make its debut at the IAA Mobility in Munich in early September 2025. It will be the first model to ride on the company’s highly anticipated Neue Klasse architecture.

The company also announced that the fully electric SUV will be joined by over 40 new or facelifted models by 2027. These will have electric, plug-in hybrid, and combustion powertrains, benefiting from “Neue Klasse” DNA.

More: 2026 BMW iX3 Neue Klasse Renders Patents Into Reality

Oliver Zipse, BMW’s Chairman, called 2025 a “milestone year” for the company, despite the “volatile global conditions.” The rollout of the Neue Klasse project is a key factor behind this optimism, starting with the new generation iX3, which Zipse described as “a typical X model, and a BMW through and through.”

The production version of the Vision Neue Klasse X concept is now entering its final stages of development in South Africa, alongside a closely related electric sedan, which is expected to adopt the i3 nameplate. Pre-production prototypes of the iX3 have been rolling off the new Debrecen plant in Hungary since late last year. Though the bodywork remains under camouflage, patent drawings and renderings have already given us a glimpse of its design.

BMW Group

Series production of the BMW iX3 will begin in Debrecen in late 2025, following its global debut in Munich in early September. A new “sporty sedan,” also based on the Neue Klasse architecture, will follow in 2026, positioned as the fully electric counterpart to the BMW 3-Series. While its name has yet to be confirmed, it’s expected to be called the i3, following the naming convention established by the i5 / i7 and 7-Series / 5-Series.

Zipse noted that Neue Klasse models will introduce improvements in driving dynamics, drivetrain technology, battery advancements, operating concepts, and digitalization, while showcasing a new design language that has “skipped a generation.” He also confirmed that “regardless of the drive technology, all future BMW models will benefit from the technologies of the Neue Klasse—and, of course, from the new design language.”

More: BMW’s 800v Neue Klasse EVs Charge 30% Faster, Could Offer 500+ Miles Of Range

Among the highlights of the Neue Klasse models will be the BMW Panoramic iDrive interface with a customizable pillar-to-pillar display, the sixth-gen BMW eDrive powertrain and high-voltage batteries with 800-volt tech, and a brand-new electronics architecture with four high-performance computers controlling the vehicle’s functions.

In terms of performance and driving dynamics, Zipse mentioned the Vision Driving Experience prototype as a sign of things to come. He said that this is “the most powerful development prototype BMW has ever built”, adding that it “pushes driving dynamics to its physical limits”. The presentation included a video with enthusiastic reactions from BMW staff to test drives of the performance-focused prototype which will eventually spawn the hot flagship of the Neue Klasse sedan.

Big Investments Led To Lower Profits

In 2024, BMW reached “peak levels of R&D and capital expenditure”, largely due to the development of Neue Klasse models. This €18 billion ($19.6 billion) investment, in combination with the “persistent subdued demand in China” and issues with the “supplied Integrated Brake System (IBS)” hurt the automaker’s financial results. More specifically, BMW Group’s net profit in 2024 was reduced to €7.68 billion ($8.37 billion), marking a 36.9% decline compared to the previous year.

The BMW Group (comprising BMW, Mini, and Rolls-Royce) sold a total of 2,450,854 vehicles in 2024, 4% down compared to 2023. However, sales of electrified models increased to 593,150 units (+4.8%), including 426,536 BEVs (+13.5%). This means that BEVs accounted for 17.4% of the total sales volume of the group last year, up from 14.7% in 2023.

More: 2025 Kicks Off With A 30% Surge In Global EV And PHEV Sales

Looking ahead, Zipse expects BMW Group’s sales to rise in 2025, with a planned reduction in capital expenditure to boost cash flow. The company aims to maintain its profit levels from 2024, despite rising tariffs.

Below, you can watch the entire presentation that was broadcast live earlier today on YouTube.