The New BMW iX3 Just Won A Rally Dedicated To Green Cars
by Adrian Padeanu · BMWBLOGArticle Summary
- The event included two full rally stages that are also part of the Barum Czech Rally Zlín.
- BMW's new electric SUV finished first overall and placed in the top three in 10 of the 12 measured disciplines.
- The iX3 wasn't the only BMW competing, with an M5 Touring entered in the hybrid category.
The new BMW iX3 has already racked up plenty of attention for its efficiency and long-distance capability. Still, the Neue Klasse electric SUV has now added an unusual achievement to its résumé. The second-generation iX3 won the 2026 Strabag Green Rally, an event held as part of the 55th Barum Czech Rally Zlín in the Czech Republic. Czechia, if you prefer.
Held from August 14 to 16, the ninth edition of the Strabag Green Rally is designed specifically for electric and hybrid vehicles. Rather than being a conventional race where outright speed is the goal, the event combines regularity driving with automotive slalom on closed rally stages. Competitors are penalized for deviating from prescribed times, so it’s more about consistency and precision rather than simply driving as fast as possible.
BMW Czech Republic entered an iX3 with Ivo Králíček and Michal Hochsteiger behind the wheel. The duo finished first overall with 714 penalty points, thanks largely to an impressively consistent performance throughout the event. The iX3 finished in the top three in 10 of the 12 measured disciplines, and in four of those tests, the car matched the target time down to the second.
The New BMW iX3 Tackled Two Rally Stages
Things got even more interesting because the event included two complete stages also used by the main Barum Czech Rally Zlín: Pohořelice and Pindula. That gave the iX3 a chance to demonstrate its abilities on genuine rally roads rather than merely completing a closed-course efficiency challenge.
BMW says the result highlights the advantages of its electric powertrain, particularly the predictable response and precision that matter in a regularity rally. The victory also gives the new iX3 another interesting real-world achievement as BMW continues rolling out its Neue Klasse technology. Around 40 models are coming out by the end of next year, including a first-ever iX7.
Ok, the 2026 Strabag Green Rally may not have been about outright pace, but winning an event featuring 12 measured disciplines and sections of a major European rally is still a pretty neat way for the iX3 to show what it can do.
Range Anxiety Cured?
Winning the 2026 Strabag Green Rally is another feather in the new iX3’s cap after the NA5 has been making headlines for its impressive efficiency. Earlier this week, the Chinese-market version with a longer wheelbase covered 640 miles (1,030 kilometers) on a single charge in a real-world driving test.
The i3, essentially the sedan counterpart to the iX3, should go even farther. The NA0 has a more aerodynamic shape designed to maximize efficiency, which should deliver even greater driving range. For those looking for something in between, the i3 Touring arriving in 2027 will combine the iX3’s practicality with the aero advantages of a lower-slung body. The iX4 and i4 two-door coupe will give BMW EV buyers even more choices in this segment.
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