BMW iNext Electric SUV Spied Up Close Losing Some Cladding

Sometime next year, BMW will reveal the flagship all-electric iNext SUV. The teaser campaign for it is well underway, but the latest batch of spy photos gives us our best look at the still-nameless technological tour-de-force. The test vehicle is wearing little cladding, showing off the SUV's finer styling details, with close-up photos providing glimpses of the headlight and taillight designs, a funky C-pillar, and much more.

The detail shots are what makes this batch of spy photos exciting. We get great images of the headlights, which are replacing the "angel-eye" daytime running lights design with something more like an eyebrow at the top of the light. The lack of cladding reveals the upright bumper design with the massive grille front and center. It'll serve as the SUV's "eye," housing the sensors for the car's semi-autonomous Level 3 driving technology. Below that is a noticeably deep and wide lip spoiler.

Move toward the rear, and the photos reveal a funky-looking pinched C-pillar design that harkens to the appearance on the i3 hatchback. At the SUV's rear is a wide opening for the hatch with the rear lights wholly housed in the tailgate. You can spot the diffuser below the bumper, but you won't find any exhaust outlets.

The powertrain will be all batteries and electric motors, but it'll arrive with three power outputs: 308 horsepower (229 kilowatts), 522 hp (389 kW), and 610 hp (454 kW). That power will go to all four wheels in a vehicle that's sized to sit between the X3 and X5 when it goes on sale sometime next year. The range is expected to exceed 373 miles (600 kilometers), though that figure likely applies to the optimistic WLTP test cycle.

BMW hasn't yet settled on a name for the new SUV, either. The concept premiered with the iNext moniker. However, rumors have hinted that BMW could call it the iX, the iX5, and even the I20. We expect BMW to continue teasing the new model leading up to the official reveal, where we'll learn much more about the model, including the name.