According to an exclusive report by Chinese media Tencent, BMW has officially selected Chinese technology firm Momenta as its partner for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) in its upcoming “Neue Klasse” electric vehicles. This revelation signals the German luxury automaker’s push into the highly competitive Chinese EV market.
BMW’s decision mirrors that of Mercedes-Benz, which also previously announced a partnership with Momenta. This choice comes after BMW’s head hinted in March at seeking a Chinese tech company for ADAS collaboration.
The first Neue Klasse model, the next-generation iX3 (code-named NA6), is set to begin mass production at BMW’s Hungarian plant in the second half of this year, with a European launch anticipated by year-end. China will be a focus in 2026, with the new-generation i3 (NA0), iX3 (NA6), and a long-wheelbase iX3 (NA8) slated for domestic release.
Momenta will develop an intelligent driving solution for BMW’s Neue Klasse products, encompassing point-to-point navigation-assisted driving across urban and highway scenarios. Momenta’s proprietary end-to-end large model will also be integrated into these new vehicles.
The core price range for the BMW Neue Klasse i3 and iX3 is expected to start above 250,000 yuan (35,000 USD), positioning them against prominent domestic EV brands such as Li Auto, Aito, Xiaomi, and Nio.
BMW holds high expectations for the Neue Klasse, a name that harks back to its iconic models from the 1960s and 1970s, which marked BMW’s ascent from a general automotive brand to a luxury leader. Beyond the pure electric Neue Klasse models launching next year, BMW is also preparing a series of hybrid vehicles based on the Neue Klasse platform to compete in the large new energy SUV market, a segment where the BMW X5 was once a star product before the rise of models like the Li Auto L9.
BMW was a pioneer in electric vehicles among European luxury brands, launching two pure electric cars in China in 2014: the original i3, focused on efficiency, and the i8 electric sports car, emphasising performance. However, BMW’s new energy vehicle development largely stagnated for many years thereafter.
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